September 23 – Real Madrid have called for LaLiga president Javier Tebas to be replaced after another public row over refereeing, this time following Sunday’s derby defeat to Atlético Madrid.
Real lost 2-1 and immediately blamed the officials, headlining their own match report: “Terrible refereeing decides the derby.”
The club were furious that Atlético’s Cristian Romero was not sent off for a stamp on Jude Bellingham, while they also complained about a challenge by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde.
José Mourinho took the argument in front of the cameras. The Real manager arrived at his post-match press conference with printed screenshots of the incidents and said his side could win the league “if they let us compete on a level playing field”.
Tebas, who has had a fractious relationship with Real president Florentino Pérez for years, was having none of it.
Responding to a pro-Real article alleging a wider conspiracy against the club, he said: “Here they go again, the mouthpieces and the regime’s television, building the same old narrative – the permanent conspiracy.”
He also challenged the suggestion that LaLiga had something to gain from harming Real, asking whether refereeing decisions should instead be based on “revenue, viewership, or the badge”.
Tebas added: “Real Madrid are crucial to La Liga. But claiming that ‘La Liga is worth nothing’ without them reveals the disdain for the other clubs, their fans, and their history. The competition belongs to no one.”
Real responded with a statement of their own, accusing Tebas of using his position to discredit the club.
“Our club considers it intolerable that the president of La Liga uses his institutional position to continue discrediting and attacking Real Madrid,” the statement said.
“Given this inappropriate and persistent behaviour, we believe that the professional football competition in Spain urgently needs a leader capable of managing it and realising its full potential with the fundamental duty of neutrality.”
The argument is the latest instalment in a much wider battle between Madrid and LaLiga, covering everything from governance and commercial strategy to the Super League and refereeing.
Tebas’ response was predictably combative, but his broader point is a fair one: LaLiga cannot operate on the basis that every controversial decision involving its biggest club is evidence of a wider plot.
Real are currently six points behind leaders Barcelona, who have admittedly opened the season in perfect form. They will meet on October 25.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at harry.ewing@insideworldfootball.com