RFEF Hits Back At Real Madrid, Backs Referees' In Wake Of Damning Footage Release

Written by Oluwadamilola Olaleye

It’s been a tug of war since Carlos Romero launched a scathing tackle on Kylian Mbappe during Espanyol’s victory that was marred by VAR controversies against Real Madrid on Saturday. Real Madrid TV have aggravated the situation much more that the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was attacked and in turn, have released an official statement to nullify the claims as well as backing referees in Spain.

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Real Madrid yesterday officially released a footage of the tackle as well as confirming that they’ve launched a complain and shared the lengthy letter which they sent to the Spanish Football Federation but it is Real Madrid TV’s Negreira case reference that has stood out the most.

💬 ”Un escándalo mundial”
📺 Realmadrid TV pic.twitter.com/TZE1AO3Pui
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) February 2, 2025

Real Madrid’s TV claims as per Diario AS; “It is an aggression in which he can burst the player, it is regrettable. This is what Madrid have to put up with in this filthy Negreira league. If this were the other way around, open all the front pages and the media.

“Rafael Louzan (Spanish Football Federation president), who has just arrived, has to leave now. He knows what is there and he has given absolute power to Medina Cantalejo, who is the direct heir of Negreira.”

RFEF in turn issues the following statement;

“The Royal Spanish Football Federation reaffirms its commitment to transparency, fairness and the constant improvement of refereeing mechanisms, which are fundamental pillars for guaranteeing the development and integrity of our competitions.

“We deeply regret the tone and seriousness of the accusations that question the integrity of the refereeing bodies and the functioning of the competition as a whole. We understand that, in the development of professional football, there may be discrepancies regarding certain decisions, but we trust that all parties will act with the responsibility and respect that the highest level of our sport demands.

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“In this regard, we would like to convey our absolute respect and consideration to all our referees, who carry out their work with professionalism, rigor and under constant evaluation. The task of refereeing, by its very nature, is subject to review and analysis, but this cannot lead to generalized accusations that call into question their integrity, since this not only affects the referees themselves, but also erodes the credibility of football as a whole.

“It is important to reflect on the consequences of this type of systematic questioning of refereeing. Constantly delegitimizing refereeing work outside of established channels generates a climate of mistrust that benefits neither Spanish football nor its competitions. Constructive criticism is always welcome and necessary for continuous improvement, but it must be carried out within established frameworks and with the respect required by all parties that make up our sport.

“We reiterate our commitment to transparency and the constant improvement of our competitions, and we trust that the collaboration of the clubs, in a constructive spirit and within the regulatory framework, will contribute to further strengthening Spanish football”, the statement ended.

Last week, Spanish Football Association president Rafael Louzan disclosed that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had jokingly suggested bringing in English referees to improve the officiating standards in La Liga. Real Madrid currently leads La Liga by one point over city rivals Atletico Madrid, with Barcelona trailing by four points.

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