In a dramatic turn of events, La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused Real Madrid of "playing victim" and "losing their head" following the club's unprecedented attack on Spanish football referees. The controversy erupted after Real Madrid's 1-0 defeat to Espanyol on Saturday, which prompted the club to send a formal letter of complaint to both the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) and Spain's High Council for Sports.
The defeat, sealed by Espanyol defender Carlos Romero's goal, became a focal point of contention as Real Madrid argued that Romero should have been sent off for an earlier challenge on Kylian Mbappe. The club's formal complaint went further, alleging that match officials, including VAR operators, were not only biased against them but also "rigged" and "completely discredited."
Real Madrid's letter contained strong accusations, stating that "decisions against Real Madrid have reached a level of manipulation and adulteration of the competition that can no longer be ignored." However, these claims were met with fierce criticism from La Liga's leadership.
At a crucial meeting on Thursday, which Real Madrid notably did not attend, Tebas addressed representatives from La Liga clubs, RFEF, and Spain's refereeing committee (CTA). He forcefully responded to Real Madrid's allegations, stating, "Real Madrid wants to harm the competition, not just the refereeing group. They have built a story of victimhood, and I think the cherry on top was the letter they published the other day. The issue has been blown out of proportion, they have lost their head. Football doesn't revolve around Real Madrid."
In a separate but significant development, RFEF chief Rafael Louzan received positive news as Spain's Supreme Court overturned his seven-year ban from holding public office. Louzan, who had been ruled against by a provincial court in 2022 for misconduct during his tenure as president of Pontevedra Provincial Council, was elected RFEF president in December after the Supreme Court permitted his candidacy. Following this decision, Louzan expressed optimism, saying, "Let this be the beginning of a new, different era, we have the opportunity to create it together."
