Real Madrid believe their elimination from the Champions League may have been influenced by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, deepening the long-running rift between the Spanish giants and the European football body.
NOP NIGERIA reports that the controversy centres on the late sending-off of Eduardo Camavinga during the quarter-final second leg in Munich. The midfielder received a second yellow card in the 87th minute for alleged time-wasting, a decision that effectively ended Madrid’s hopes of chasing a sixteenth European crown.
The dismissal was issued by Slovenian referee Slavko Vinčić. Within the club, suspicions have grown about his appointment and the broader context of the tie.
Relations between Madrid and UEFA have remained strained since the club led the push for the breakaway Super League. Although an agreement reached in February appeared to calm tensions, the defeat in Munich has revived old grievances.
Vinčić’s rapid rise in European officiating has also drawn attention. He has taken charge of major fixtures, including the 2022 Europa League final and the 2024 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. This season alone, he has overseen nine matches in Europe’s top competition.
A report by All Football claimed that figures close to the Spanish side believe the latest episode could signal that the fallout from the Super League project still lingers at the highest levels of European football.
