Real Madrid-Sevilla: LaLiga admits decision not to broadcast replay of Konaté challenge

Real Madrid's 4-1 win over Sevilla last Sunday has left a trail of controversy that refuses to die down. Two incidents remain under scrutiny: the possible elbow by Arda Güler on Peque with the score still level, and the alleged prior foul by Konaté on Urhe in the move that led to Madrid's second goal, scored by Kylian Mbappé. Now, LaLiga's broadcast director has addressed the situation and admitted that a deliberate choice was made not to show a specific replay of the Sevilla defender's challenge.

• Arda Güler's elbow incident cannot be judged clearly because cameras prioritize following the ball, which was around 30 meters away from the action.
• LaLiga broadcast director Sergio Carranza confirmed that a decision was made not to show the replay of Konaté's possible foul and to continue with Mbappé's goal.
• The match had 26 cameras, 15 of which work on close-up shots, but the priority is to respect live coverage and minimize replays.
• Carranza insisted there is no external pressure or orders about which replays to show, and defended the impartiality of his team.
• If VAR had stopped the match to review Konaté's action, the broadcast team would have searched for and shown the images.

Why there is no clear footage of Arda Güler's elbow on Peque

The first major controversy came with the score still 0-0. Arda Güler was involved in an alleged elbow on Peque that many felt deserved a red card, but no television angle shows the action clearly. Sergio Carranza, LaLiga's broadcast director, explained on 'El Partidazo de COPE' the technical reason behind that absence: the ball was at least 30 meters away from the incident, and every camera's priority is to follow the play.

The match featured 26 cameras, 15 of which work primarily on close-up shots. However, in a fast-paced sport like football, when a controversial moment happens far from the ball, operators often lack the right frame. Carranza used this to justify why there is no conclusive image that would allow anyone to judge the Turkish player's action with certainty.

The admission about Konaté's foul and Mbappé's goal

The second flashpoint arrived with the goal from Kylian Mbappé that made it 2-0. In the build-up, defender Konaté challenged Urhe for the ball, and many believed the Sevilla man committed a foul. The broadcast showed the goal but did not offer a detailed replay of the possible infringement. Asked directly by journalist Juanma Castaño, Carranza was transparent: the replay could have been considered, but at that moment the decision was made not to show it and instead focus on the goal.

We could have considered showing that replay, but at that moment we decided not to give it and to show the goal. We interpreted that it was resolved, that the referee decided it was not a foul, and we moved on. It was an editorial decision by the mobile unit.

The broadcast director stressed that the decision fell to the editorial team of the mobile unit, without any external pressure. He explained that the general policy is to respect live coverage and keep replays to a minimum, and that on this occasion the action was considered settled from a refereeing standpoint. Had VAR stopped the game to review the play, the broadcast team would have searched for and shown the images without hesitation.

Sergio Carranza: from Real Madrid TV to leading LaLiga's broadcast team

Sergio Carranza's background has not gone unnoticed amid the controversy. Before taking on his current role at LaLiga, he worked at Real Madrid TV for more than five years, specifically from January 2005 to September 2010. This detail has fueled suspicion among those who believe the broadcast team could have favored the Madrid club with its editorial decisions.

Carranza himself addressed those insinuations head-on and was emphatic. He insisted that no professional arrives at work wearing a team's colors and defended the honesty of the broadcast crew. He maintained that they receive no orders about which replays to show or hide, and he expressed regret that the work of professionals trying to deliver the best possible product in every match is being called into question.

Broadcast policy in controversial moments

Carranza's remarks offered insight into the internal protocols that govern broadcast work during LaLiga matches. The fundamental principle is to respect live coverage and minimize interruptions with replays, unless the situation demands otherwise. Each mobile unit makes editorial decisions in real time, weighing which images add the most value for the viewer without disrupting the rhythm of the broadcast.

In the Real Madrid-Sevilla case, the broadcast team decided that Konaté's challenge had already been resolved by the referee, who allowed play to continue, and that showing Mbappé's goal was the immediate priority. According to Carranza, this decision was made without any external influence and stemmed purely from professional and editorial judgment by the mobile unit deployed at the stadium.

What happens when VAR intervenes in a similar situation

Fans have wondered what would have happened if VAR had called the referee to review Konaté's possible foul. Carranza made it clear that the dynamic would have been completely different. When a match is stopped for a review, the broadcast team is obligated to search for every available image and provide the best angles of the incident.

This shows that the absence of a replay was not due to a technical failure but to a conscious decision by the broadcast crew. The infrastructure was ready to provide images had the situation required it, but without a VAR review, the production continued with the normal flow of the broadcast and prioritized the celebration of Mbappé's goal.