Real Madrid suffered a heavy blow in its second match of the Club World Cup. The main figure was Raúl Asencio, whose gesture and action on the field ended up deciding the outcome of the match.
The play that changed everything
Only seven minutes had passed when forward Raúl Asencio was sent off with a straight red card. Everything happened in a key play that left Xabi Alonso's team with ten players and complicated the dynamics of the match.
Salomón Rondón, Pachuca's striker, got behind the Madrid defense. He controlled a long ball that put the backline in trouble. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was ready for the one-on-one, but Asencio appeared, trying to prevent the chance.
The grab that ended in a sending off
To prevent a clear shot, Asencio resorted to a slight grab from behind on Rondón. He fell to the ground just as he stepped on the edge of the penalty area. The action sparked protests from Asencio, who didn't expect the red card.
The referee, without hesitation, called a foul and showed the red card. He considered Asencio to be the last man in defense, a play that leaves little doubt and changes the course of the match.
VAR review: was there offside?
After the sending off, the play was reviewed by VAR to check if Rondón had been offside at the start of the action. If that had been the case, the red card could have been overturned.
However, defender Dean Huijsen's position confirmed that Rondón was onside. Therefore, the sanction was kept, and Asencio had to leave the field early.
Xabi Alonso's reaction
With the score still 0-0 and the match just underway, Xabi Alonso had to make quick decisions. To rebuild the defense, he moved Aurélien Tchouaméni back to the center of the backline.
This tactical change aimed to minimize the impact of playing with one man down. However, the sending off left Real Madrid in a very difficult situation from very early on.
What the video shows
The video that has now come to light clearly shows the action that led to Asencio's sending off. It shows the exact moment of the grab and Rondón's fall.
The footage shows that the slight contact was enough to bring down the striker and prevent a clear chance.