In a surprising revelation, Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Rafael Louzán has disclosed that Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez expressed interest in bringing English referees to LaLiga, highlighting ongoing concerns about officiating standards in Spanish football.
The revelation came during Louzán's appearance on the podcast 'El Cafelito' with journalist Josep Pedrerol, where he detailed multiple conversations with Pérez regarding refereeing concerns. According to Louzán, who was elected as RFEF president last month for a four-year term, Pérez has been persistent in expressing his grievances about Spanish referees.
"My relationship [with Florentino] is good," Louzán stated in the interview. "But what happens with Florentino is that he says, in strong terms, that he feels aggrieved by referees." The RFEF president recounted how Pérez had repeatedly raised the subject, including discussions about the Negreira case.
The situation reflects a broader context of criticism toward Spanish officiating, particularly from Real Madrid's leadership. Real Madrid TV, the club's television channel, has consistently highlighted refereeing errors before and after matches, while Pérez himself called for "urgent" reforms in 2023.
During the Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia a year ago, Pérez reportedly told Louzán, "you have to sort out the referees issue, because they're damaging us, and we've lost a lot of trophies because of referees." However, Louzán maintained his support for the current officials, stating, "I believe in the work of referees."
The controversy extends to the highest levels of Spanish football administration. Currently, refereeing in Spain is overseen by the Technical Committee of Referees, which operates under RFEF regulation, while match officials are assigned by a designating committee that includes both RFEF and LaLiga representation.
At Real Madrid's AGM in 2023, Pérez escalated the matter by calling for government intervention. "It's essential for the wellbeing of Spanish football that things like the quality of refereeing and the use of VAR are dealt with," he declared, adding that "The credibility of our competition has been damaged."
Louzán, who assumed the RFEF presidency on December 16, brings his own controversy to the role. Despite facing a seven-year ban on holding public office due to misconduct - a decision he has appealed to Spain's supreme court - he was permitted to participate in and win the election as the representative of the Galician Football Federation.
