Real Murcia suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat away to Atlético Madrileño at the Ciudad Deportiva de Alcalá de Henares, in a match overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions.
Coach Sergi Guilló fielded the same starting eleven that had thrashed Teruel in the previous match, but the pace and intensity of the Atlético Madrid reserve side caught Real Murcia off guard from the opening whistle.
The first half effectively decided the outcome, amid what the club described as unfortunate refereeing and decisions that went against the visitors. The first disputed moment came in the 10th minute, when the referee awarded a penalty for an action involving Jorge Mier, a decision that should have been overturned because of a prior foul on Javi Mier, which the official dismissed after a video review.
Controversy and home advantage before the break
After conceding the opening goal amid protests, Real Murcia pushed hard for an equalizer but could not find one. During that period, Guilló used his second video review card, part of the FVS system, to request a check for a possible penalty involving Álvaro Bustos, but the referee upheld the original call after watching the replay.
In the seventh minute of stoppage time, Atlético Madrileño doubled their advantage from a set piece off a corner, with Cubo scoring to make it 2-0. The second goal left Real Murcia with a steep task heading into the dressing room at halftime.
Atlético Madrileño seal victory in the second half
After the restart, Real Murcia made changes in midfield, bringing on Chema Núñez and Moyita in place of Álvaro Bustos and Javi Mier in search of greater control. The Murcia side improved their play and Flakus came close to pulling a goal back with a shot that struck the post, but on the very next move a loss of possession during the build-up allowed Cubo to score again and make it 3-0.
With the match already decided, Guilló brought on Víctor Olmedo for Jorge Mier, though the team continued to show defensive fragility. In the 60th minute, Edgar scored a fourth goal for the Madrid reserve side, ending any hope of a comeback as the game lost rhythm and intensity in its closing stages.
Guilló's assessment and what comes next
Speaking after the final whistle, Guilló said Real Murcia had not lost because of the referee, adding that the team's overall feelings were not as bad as the final scoreline suggested. Real Murcia spent the closing minutes focused on containing further Atlético Madrileño attacks to avoid an even heavier defeat.
Real Murcia now turn their attention to their next fixture against Orihuela, scheduled for Wednesday, September 16 at 20:45 at Los Arcos, in the round of 16 of the Copa Federación. After that, the grana side will host Europa at home on Saturday, September 19 at 16:30 in the league championship.
