La Liga President Javier Tebas has strongly condemned Real Madrid for their formal complaint about refereeing decisions following their shock 1-0 loss to Espanyol. Calling the club’s reaction “irrational,” Tebas accused them of attempting to undermine the competition’s integrity.
The controversy revolves around two key incidents: a heavy challenge by Espanyol’s Carlos Romero on Kylian Mbappé, which went unpunished, and the disallowance of a goal by Vinícius Júnior. Real Madrid responded by alleging a “double standard” in officiating and hinting at possible referee bias. They have since demanded access to the VAR audio recordings from the match.
Tebas fired back, pointing out that Real Madrid skipped a critical meeting with La Liga, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), and other clubs. He accused the club of spreading misinformation and hinted that La Liga might take legal action against them for making misleading claims.
This dispute adds to the growing tension between Real Madrid and Spanish football’s officiating bodies. Meanwhile, the CTA has assigned César Soto Grado as the referee for the upcoming Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid, with Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea in charge of VAR—an appointment that will be closely watched given Real Madrid’s recent complaints.
Other clubs, including Atlético Madrid, have criticized Real Madrid’s tactics, accusing them of using media influence to amplify their grievances. The ongoing conflict highlights deeper issues in Spanish football regarding officiating and the strained relationship between clubs and governing bodies.
