A questionable arbitration harms Barça
Last weekend the King’s Basketball Cup was held in Malaga, a competition named after the sovereign. Real Madrid lifted the trophy again, after beating Barça in a very tight final, where dubious refereeing benefited the white team, with debatable, if not scandalous, decisions at key moments. “In a couple of plays where we were coming back, they cut off our comeback. Many times the criterion is not the same. They made more mistakes than usual,” said captain Àlex Abrines. “In the final stretch? During the whole game. I don’t think I’m one to say certain things or to criticize, but I think the refereeing was not good,” said Nico Laprovittola. And coach Roger Grimau was stunned when the referees told Willy Hernangómez that “boy, this isn’t the NBA” and flagged him down for a technical.
The whites proclaim themselves champions
Referee controversy aside, the Whites were the champions. At the end of these images you can see how two of the team’s most veteran players, Rudy Fernández and Llull, lifted together the trophy that accredited them as new Cup champions:
🎥 SUMMARY | Copa del Rey Final— Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) February 18, 2024
▶️ @RMBaloncesto 🆚@FCBbasket (96-85)
✅ Copa del Rey CHAMPIONS!! #HalaMadrid | @movistar_es | #CupChampions pic.twitter.com/bFTWE17sR0
The Royal House congratulates the champion and receives criticism for the absence of the king
After this image, the Royal House made a comment on networks from its official account, congratulating the champion after a final, “another year” where “the two teams that have contested the final of the Copa del Rey in Málaga have given us an exciting and vibrant match, with moments worthy of top-level basketball”… It may have been an exciting and vibrant match, but despite the excitement, who is going to losing was the name given to the trophy. A King Felipe who was neither there nor expected, preferred to be skiing in the Aran Valley without his wife Letícia. A very busy agenda that has outraged more than one. Criticism for the royal absence and for Zarzuela to waste time like this:
Once again, the two teams that contested the Copa del Rey final in Málaga gave us an exciting and vibrant match, with moments worthy of top-level basketball.— Casa de S.M. the King (@CasaReal) February 18, 2024
Congratulations to @RMBaloncesto for lifting this title for the 29th time 👏🏻 https://t.co/XyRZCEMLuQ
And one more year the King has not attended. What a shame— Carlos Nidal Jandali Feu (@carlosjandali) February 18, 2024
Really, it seems surreal to me that these things are published from the king’s house. I understand that with republicanism at home they have infected you, but what you comment after how the country is doing.— Leticia (@Leticia23270957) February 18, 2024
Doesn’t the real house have anything better to do? Q blah blah blah absurd— Manchega (@Manchega2) February 18, 2024
We would love to see the King of Spain present the King of Spain Cup. Rarities.— DL (@dlaercio23) February 18, 2024
Why hasn’t His Majesty attended? His emeritus father came to Málaga for the final of his cup.— Mavi García (@MaviGarca4) February 18, 2024
His Majesty the King was unable to attend the trophy presentation… Is everything okay or was he watching the victory of the Spaniard and world champion @Topuriailia on a delayed basis?— Pérez Redvelvet (@PerezRedvelvet) February 19, 2024
Aren’t sports newspapers for these things?..— ✌️Gutterman✌️ (@gutterman1864) February 18, 2024
All you have to do is broadcast the match… 🤦♂️🤦♂️
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