Arda Güler's Conversation With the Referee Is in the Spotlight: "It Was Not a Penalty," He Said

Real Madrid played Valencia away in Matchday 12 of LaLiga on November 7, 2026. The match at the Mestalla Stadium ended 3-0 in favor of Real Madrid. Turkish international Arda Güler also played an important role in the victory.

Federico Valverde put Real Madrid ahead with a goal in the 28th minute. Arda Güler doubled the lead in the 36th minute. In the 75th minute, Kylian Mbappe found the net with an assist from Arda Güler, sealing the result.

After the match, footage of Arda Güler's conversation with the referee during the game came to light. In LaLiga, some dialogues between players and referees are recorded by the cameras used by match officials. In footage said to be from the Valencia match, Arda Güler is reported to have told the referee that a incident in the penalty area was not a penalty.

Arda Güler said that in the challenge aimed at him, there was no penalty, even though the defender had nearly struck him. This response was presented as an example of fair play, as he did not ask for a decision in his own team's favor.