Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has reacted to the controversial first half sending off of Spanish international center-back Dean Huijsen in Saturday’s 2-1 over Real Sociedad.
Los Blancos claimed their latest victory on the road despite playing an hour without the summer signing, who was dismissed after bringing down Spain international teammate Mikel Oyarzabal just inside Madrid’s half.
The decision sparked disbelief from Alonso and his coaching staff on the sidelines as replays suggested otherwise, with Eder Militao seemingly in position to cover. Huijsen himself gestured with two fingers to indicate another defender was present, which would invalidate Oyarzabal’s claim of a denied goalscoring opportunity.
Despite the setback, Madrid secured the win. After the match, both Huijsen and Alonso voiced their frustrations. Alonso revealed he had spoken with Manzano but described the referee’s explanation as “not convincing,” adding that the young defender felt deeply aggrieved by the call.
“He was relieved,” Alonso said. “He was angry and relieved with the team’s victory. Yes, these are avoidable actions, because there was a lot of space and Oyarzabal didn’t have the ball under control.
“For me, it was a yellow card because Militao was close by, the ball wasn’t under control, they were 40 metres away.
“After seeing the replay, I haven’t changed my mind. He (the referee) gave me his explanation and I wasn’t convinced, so we’ll leave it at that. From that point on, the context of the game changed, playing practically 60 minutes with one less player.”
Huijsen avoided making public remarks, instead posting on Instagram to thank his teammates: “Gracias equipo por ser tan buenos, os quiero” (“Thank you team for being so good, I love you”). He will miss the next two La Liga fixtures against Espanyol and Levante due to suspension but remains eligible for Champions League action.
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