More penalties post-COVID, Celta, Real Madrid and Atletico have had the most

Sunday's La Liga action confirmed that strange things are happening to VAR post COVID-19. Real Madrid won at San Mames with a clear penalty committed by Dani Garcia on Marcelo, although Athletic Bilbao felt they should have had one at the other end. 

The leader's victory led to criticism from Barca who suggested that the VAR was favouring Real Madrid. But not only in Real Madrid's matches has their been controversy with the technology. Celta v Alaves, Mallorca v Celta and Sevilla v Valladolid also saw strange penalties and in the Mallorca game, the referee even looked at the images himself. 

A 'ProFootballDB' report reaches the conclusion that a lot more penalties have been given since COVID-19 stopped play. In football prior to the pandemic, a penalty was being given every 2.60 matches (104 in 270 games) while now it is one every 2.06 games (33 in 68 matches). The number of spot kicks has increased by 25.99%.

Three teams have received plenty of penalties since the restart. And Real Madrid do not lead the way. Celta have had five, Atletico Madrid have had four including three in the last seven days while Real Madrid have had three. 

Real Madrid, together with Villarreal, Sevilla, Espanyol and Osasuna have not conceded a spot kick since football returned. 

Real Sociedad have been the team to have been dealt the worst hand. They have not had a penalty and conceded four including one against Getafe when it was actually the Getafe man who committed the foul. Sociedad's neighbours Athletic Bilbao have also given away four penalties.