Real Sociedad limped out of the Europa League on Thursday night with a 4-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. However the Txuri-Urdin were left with a sense of impotency after the game, feeling that referee Benoit Bastien did not give them a fair chance at victory.
La Real went ahead through an early Mikel Oyarzabal penalty, but saw their hopes of setting up an all-Basque final collapse over the next hour. United were given two debatable penalties, which Bruno Fernandes converted in the 16th and 50th minute, while Bastien also gave a third penalty that was in the end was chalked off after a VAR review. Bastien was not called back to the screen to review his decision to send off Jon Aramburu in the 63rd minute, despite La Real’s claims that Nayef Aguerd was in a position to prevent a clear goalscoring opportunity.
El diablo vestía de azul.
𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 #UEL
— Real Sociedad Fútbol (@RealSociedad) March 14, 2025
Releasing their customary behind the scenes video from the matchday, the Real Sociedad official Twitter/X account captioned it ‘The devil was dressed in blue’, referencing United’s nickname ‘the Red Devils’.
“Benoit Bastein, who seemed to be aiming for a hat trick, prevented La Real from competing on equal terms, who at points showed their ability to outplay Manchester United,” began the description on YouTube, alluding to a hat-trick of penalties.
Manager Imanol Alguacil had told the media after the game that the referee ‘did not allow the teams to compete in equal conditions’. Meanwhile Aritz Elustondo, who gave away one of the penalties, claimed even United’s Patrick Dorgu was laughing at the decisions.
“The referee said that only Mikel [Oyarzabal] could speak, being the captain. I told the referee that we were leaving the pitch, that it was all a disgrace,” he told Cadena SER.
“It’s that honestly, I stay still, he looks for contact with me, he calls a penalty, and it’s clear that because there was contact, VAR doesn’t call it back, but it’s not just my action anymore. The first penalty he called in their favour, the penalty he didn’t call live on Mikel Oyarzabal… I think you can see the desire to call us [against us], including the penalty he called on Traore. It’s very difficult like that.”
MD say that Bastien and the VAR Willy Delajod have refereed their last games in Europe this season on the back of their performances. It was pointed out that one of the signatures on Fernandes’ hat-trick ball also said ‘how much you paid the ref’.
“How many you paid to the ref?”. En una de las firmas al balón de Bruno Fernandes tras su hattrick. pic.twitter.com/3tM6TZpIrL
— Dani Méndez (@Danimendez7) March 14, 2025
The Catalan daily went on to quote captain Oyarzabal, who was equally as unimpressed with Bastien as Elustondo and Alguacil.
“He gave me a yellow card for being annoying. I never disrespected him. I tried to ask for an explanation. He just said what he thought, and when we told him what we thought, he told us the conversation was over, that it was over, and that was it. It’s frustrating, but that’s football and that’s what it is. It’s a shame to be kicked out of Europe, but even more so when it’s done like that.”
Oyarzabal continued on to say that he too felt as if he wanted to leave the pitch.
“The desire there was to blow one way and how little conviction there was in blowing the other way. You laugh when he whistles the third penalty in their favour, the player himself says no… It seems like a joke. My penalty was the clearest and the one that took the longest to call. It’s a bit desperate, sad and it hurts you.”
“[It] makes you want to leave or sit on the pitch and let them do whatever they want.”
Real Sociedad have not been shy about voicing complaints about refereeing decisions in recent seasons, but there was no shortage of sympathy for La Real back in Spain on this occasion. Alguacil’s side must pick themselves up to face on Sunday in Vallecas. They lie just three points off a European spot, but will have to pick their form up quickly if they are to move up from 11th and return to Europe next season.
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