The head of the Spanish refereeing committee, Luis Medina Cantalejo, has firmly denied allegations of “fraud” and “corruption” made by Real Madrid against match officials.
After Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss to Espanyol in La Liga last Saturday, the club expressed strong dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions. On Monday, they sent an open letter to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the country’s sports ministry (CSD), accusing match officials of “fraud” and “corruption.”
One of the key incidents in the match involved a dangerous tackle on Kylian Mbappé by Espanyol defender Carlos Romero in the second half. Despite the severity of the challenge, the referee only issued a yellow card. Adding to Real Madrid’s frustration, Romero later scored the winning goal. In the first half, Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed due to an earlier foul by Mbappé in the buildup.
In the letter, Real Madrid demanded the release of audio recordings between the referee and the VAR officials and called for structural reforms in the refereeing system.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Medina Cantalejo addressed the controversy:
“We do not engage in public disputes with clubs. I don’t want to add fuel to the fire.”
“I have nothing to be ashamed of. My colleagues and I are not corrupt. We may be incompetent at times, or our decisions may be poor, but corrupt? No. I don’t appreciate being labeled corrupt. We have no choice but to continue working because competitions go on. Referees deserve respect. Regardless of statements and complaints, no referee steps onto the field with bad intentions.”
Real Madrid has frequently criticized the standard of refereeing in Spain, often highlighting controversial decisions through Real Madrid TV. Club president Florentino Pérez has even urged the Spanish government to intervene in refereeing matters.
Recently, Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Luzán revealed that Pérez had suggested bringing in English referees to improve officiating in La Liga.
