La Liga president Javier Tebas slams Real Madrid's pressure on referees

La Liga president Javier Tebas has publicly criticised Real Madrid for their aggressive stance toward officiating following the recent derby against Atletico Madrid. While acknowledging that clubs have the right to be unhappy with refereeing decisions, Tebas condemned the public campaign launched by the club and manager Jose Mourinho, stating that he disagrees with the manner in which complaints were handled.

Tebas dismissed claims that the match outcome was determined solely by refereeing errors. The league president also used the opportunity to address the ongoing tension regarding Real Madrid's official television channel, which frequently scrutinizes refereeing decisions before and after games. Tebas reiterated that the league has already reported the club for this conduct, viewing it as a significant integrity issue.

We denounced the conduct of Real Madrid Television some time ago and, after yesterday, we must continue with ethics. It is an unfair and cruel way to pressure the referee. Javier Tebas

Discussing specific flashpoints from the derby, Tebas defended the red card shown to Huijsen as correct, but disagreed with Madrid’s protests regarding a challenge by Cuti Romero on Jude Bellingham, noting that the defender made contact with the ball first. Regarding the heavy challenge by Kang-in Lee on Federico Valverde, Tebas admitted that while a red card would have been defensible, the speed of the action made the referee's decision to play on understandable.