Aurélien Tchouaméni launched direct criticism at Spanish refereeing following Real Madrid’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Villarreal, expressing his disbelief over the straight red card shown to teammate Vinícius Júnior.
The French midfielder was the sole Real Madrid representative to speak to the media following the dramatic encounter, coming at a time when manager José Mourinho opted to skip the post-match press conference to avoid entering another controversy over officiating.
“I don’t understand what is happening with the referees. I don’t understand this red card, I don’t understand anything—but the most important thing is that we got the win,” Tchouaméni told Real Madrid TV.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, he added: “I am happy because we know Villarreal are a great team. Of course we can play better, but coming back after a three-week international break is never easy, and today securing the victory was paramount.”
Addressing Real Madrid’s perfect home record this season, he continued: “With the support of our fans, winning becomes easier. This is our stadium, our home, and we must keep winning here,” as the club secured their fifth victory in five matches at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The fixture also marked Tchouaméni’s 200th appearance in a Real Madrid shirt. Speaking on the milestone, he remarked: “It is a dream to be here every single day. I thank the fans, the president, and the club, and now I look forward to playing more matches and winning more titles.”
Across his five seasons with Real Madrid, the French international has recorded 140 victories and scored 7 goals, featuring in 129 La Liga matches and 43 UEFA Champions League ties, while lifting 8 trophies—including the Champions League, La Liga, and two FIFA Club World Cups.
Tchouaméni concluded by looking ahead to the upcoming Champions League clash against Roma, stating: “We started the competition in the best possible way, and now we must go to Rome to win,” as Real Madrid prepare to visit the Italian side on Wednesday.
