Scandal in El Clásico? Cancelo made a reckless challenge on Diomande, but the referee ignored it. VIDEO
An incident in the 10th round of La Liga's El Clásico has already raised questions about the referee's performance. João Cancelo made heavy contact with Yan Diomande, but the official did not react to the foul and did not even show the defender a yellow card.
The Portuguese footballer's challenge looked serious enough to at least warrant consideration of a booking. Nevertheless, the referee decided not to intervene, allowing play to continue without disciplinary action.
Decisions like this in matches of such magnitude inevitably attract heightened attention. El Clásico is traditionally played under enormous tension, and every controversial whistle can affect not only the course of the match but also the reaction of both sets of supporters.
The incident involving Cancelo and Diomande could now become a major talking point after the final whistle. Fans will certainly want to understand why the referee did not deem the defender's actions worthy of a booking.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
