La Liga Chief Blasts Real Madrid Over Referee Complaints, Dismisses Conspiracy Claims

Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, launched a renewed attack on Real Madrid. This offensive comes amid escalating rhetoric within the club and its affiliated media regarding refereeing decisions. Tebas rejected the narrative suggesting the team is being deliberately targeted by referees, asserting that the ongoing debate about officiating diverts attention from the clear technical issues evident in Real Madrid's performance during the season's opening matches. The La Liga president posted on his social media accounts, responding to recent criticisms from Madrid, lambasting what he described as an "attempt to build a permanent conspiracy story." He stated: "When it's not Negreira, it's the referee, and when it's not, he's not international," indicating the recurring justifications put forward by the club or its close circle when discussing refereeing. Tebas affirmed that all clubs in the Spanish League can have their matches officiated by international or non-international referees. He emphasized that no club has the right to choose the referee for its matches or object to an official's identity simply because it does not align with their preferences or expectations. The La Liga president addressed Real Madrid's standing within the competition, acknowledging the significant role the club plays in the history of the Spanish League and its global appeal. However, he simultaneously rejected reducing the value of the competition to Real Madrid's presence alone, stressing that the league's importance is not derived from a single club. Tebas remarked: "Real Madrid is very important for La Liga, but to say that La Liga has no value without it reflects contempt for other clubs, their fans, and their history. The competition is not owned by anyone." Tebas was even sharper when commenting on the hypothesis that Real Madrid is being targeted by referees. He considered this argument illogical and unsupported by any evidence confirming a deliberate policy against the club. He added: "To claim that referees are biased against Real Madrid is like living in another galaxy." The league president contended that the repeated discussion of referee bias against Real Madrid provides a cover to avoid addressing the real problems within the team, whether concerning performance, results, or match management. Tebas further stated: "That story serves as an alibi to cover up other shortcomings that become apparent at first glance in these early matches of the season. It is more comfortable to point to a conspiracy than to explain what is happening on the field." Concluding his defense, Tebas affirmed that the occurrence of refereeing errors, even if repeated in multiple matches or over several years, does not constitute definitive proof of an organized conspiracy against Real Madrid. He concluded: "A refereeing error does not prove a conspiracy, nor does its repetition over years make it true."