Alvaro Arbeloa Disputes Controversial Elbow on Jude Bellingham After Barcelona Loss
Barcelona has officially claimed their 29th La Liga championship following a decisive 2-0 victory over Real Madrid.
The Catalan side delivered a dominant performance, controlled the match effectively, and left Alvaro Arbeloa's squad struggling to find their rhythm.
The scoring began with a free kick from Marcus Rashford. Shortly after, Ferran Torres extended the lead in the 18th minute, providing Barcelona with a cushion early in the game.
Real Madrid attempted a comeback in the second half and could have got a penalty for a elbow on Jude Bellingham by Eric Garcia.
The incident occurred around the 53rd minute as Bellingham attempted to move the ball into the box.
Unfortunately no penalty was awarded to Real Madrid with neither the referee nor VAR deeming the contact intentional.
Real Madrid's staff, including Alvaro Arbeloa, expressed frustration after the game, questioning why VAR did not intervene for what they described as a ‘clear elbow'.
Alvaro Arbeloa Criticizes Officiating after Real Madrid's Loss
Following the match, Alvaro Arbeloa expressed clear frustration with the officiating regarding the elbow on Jude Bellingham
"Yes, it seemed very clear to me that there was an elbow strike, and well... of course, I don't know; we'll have to ask why the video technology didn't intervene," he stated.
· Reporter: What do you think of the elbow to Jude Bellingham?
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) May 10, 2026
Alvaro Arbeloa: "Yes, it seemed very clear to me that there was an elbow strike, and well... of course, I don't know; we'll have to ask why the video technology didn't intervene." pic.twitter.com/0ILGOUNsTP
This is not the first time Arbeloa has criticized officiating this season; he previously called out a similar non-intervention by VAR during a match against Girona.
This victory marks the first time since 2019 that Barcelona has won back-to-back league titles. It is also only the second time in history that the La Liga title has been decided during an El Clásico.
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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 2:47 PM.