RFEF bite back over Real Madrid referee row

The RFEF have responded over the escalating row between Real Madrid and La Liga referees.

Los Blancos have doubled down on their stance against refereeing standards in La Liga, claiming they are unfairly treated by officials on a regular basis.

The club were incensed by the decision not to send off Espanyol star Carlos Romero, who would later condemn them to defeat on Saturday night, with a late winner on chaotic evening in Catalonia.

In the immediate aftermath, the decision was called ‘inexplicable’ by Carlo Ancelotti, while Real Madrid players did not speak to the media after the game, including the club’s internal media.

Real Madrid TV released yet another scathing report about a referee, and stated from their official social media account, that La Liga is ‘stained by Negreira’. In reference to the ongoing corruption investigation into payments made by Barcelona to the Vice-President of the Referees Committee (CTA) over 17 years, although no evidence has been found that referees favoured La Blaugrana in that period.

The latest twist in Real Madrid’s sky-high demands has included a four page letter which demands the resignation of key officials and an investigation into refereeing standards.

Their assault is two-pronged, with the RFEF (Spanish FA) also coming in for criticism, and they have reacted with a clear message to Florentino Perez and his supporters.

“We deeply regret the tone and seriousness of the accusations that question the integrity of the refereeing bodies and the functioning of the competition.

“We understand that, in the development of professional football, there may be discrepancies regarding certain decisions, but we trust all parties to act with responsibility and respect that the highest level of our sport demands.

“Refereeing, by its nature, is subject to review and analysis, but this cannot lead to generalised accusations that call into question their integrity, which not only affects the referees themselves, but also erodes the credibility of football as a whole.”