Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a scathing attack on Real Madrid over the club’s claims of a refereeing conspiracy against them, accusing the Spanish giants of “living in another galaxy” and peddling a “permanent conspiracy” narrative to mask their own shortcomings.
The extraordinary public confrontation erupted on Tuesday after Real Madrid issued a formal statement calling for Tebas to be replaced, describing his comments as “intolerable, inappropriate and irresponsible” and declaring that Spanish professional football “urgently needs a leader capable of managing it.” The dispute follows Real Madrid’s 2-1 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid on Sunday, a match overshadowed by a series of controversial refereeing decisions that left the club and its coaching staff furious.
At the centre of the storm is Real Madrid coach José Mourinho, who arrived at his post-match press conference armed with printed screenshots of two first-half challenges by Atlético players — Cristian Romero on Jude Bellingham and Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde — which he argued should have resulted in red cards. “We can skip the press conference because the story of the match is right here,” Mourinho said, holding the images aloft. “Those were two clear red cards.” Real Madrid went on to lose the match after defender Dean Huijsen was sent off, leaving them to play with ten men for the closing stages.
Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees subsequently acknowledged that Lee Kang-in should have been dismissed for a horror tackle that left Valverde with severe ankle trauma. However, the committee also accepted the decision to spare Romero a red card for his challenge on Bellingham, labelling the incident as confusing. The mixed verdict did little to quell the anger at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Tebas responded on Tuesday with a lengthy social media riposte, attaching a pro-Real Madrid article from Spanish outlet El Debate which he claimed was written by a “mouthpiece of the club.” “Here they go again, the mouthpieces and the regime’s television, building the same old narrative — the permanent conspiracy,” Tebas wrote. “Claiming that referees are directed against Real Madrid is living in another galaxy. That narrative serves as an excuse to cover up other shortcomings that are plain to see in these first matches of the season. It’s more comfortable to point to a conspiracy than to explain what’s happening on the pitch”.
The La Liga president went further, questioning the logic of the article’s central claim that referees were harming “the business that feeds them.” He asked: “What exactly is it asking for? Refereeing based on revenue, viewership, or the badge? What a way to understand equality in the competition.” He also rejected any suggestion that La Liga would be worthless without Real Madrid, stating: “The competition belongs to no one.” Tebas added: “A refereeing error doesn’t prove a conspiracy, nor does repeating it for years turn it into truth. We’re in September and they already consider the league adulterated. Nobody with common sense believes the usual excuse anymore”.
Real Madrid’s response was swift and uncompromising. In an official statement, the club said it was “utterly surprising that the president of La Liga dedicates his time and personal platforms to constantly trying to publicly discredit Real Madrid,” adding that his behaviour “continues to damage the image of our competition and Spanish football worldwide.” The club argued that Tebas is “fixated on Real Madrid” and called for a leader who would fulfil “the fundamental duty of neutrality” and “serve this mission with honesty”.
The confrontation is the latest chapter in a long-running and bitter feud between Tebas and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez. The two men have clashed repeatedly over a range of issues, including La Liga’s plans to stage an annual fixture in the United States, Pérez’s abortive European Super League project, and the distribution of audiovisual rights. In 2025, Tebas said Real Madrid had “lost their head” after the club sent a formal letter of complaint to the Spanish football federation about officiating, labelling the refereeing system “rigged” and “completely discredited”.
The timing of the row is particularly damaging for Real Madrid, who sit fourth in La Liga, already six points behind league leaders Barcelona after just seven matches. The defeat to Atlético was a significant blow to their title ambitions, and the club’s decision to focus its public messaging on refereeing rather than its own performances has drawn criticism from across Spanish football. Tebas’s intervention has amplified that critique, framing the conspiracy claims as a distraction from the club’s stuttering start to the season.
For Tebas, the row represents an opportunity to reinforce his position as the guardian of La Liga’s collective interests, pushing back against what he perceives as Real Madrid’s sense of entitlement. For Real Madrid, the confrontation is a test of whether the club can rally support from other teams against a president they believe is biased against them. The coming weeks will determine whether this latest flashpoint escalates into a broader institutional crisis or fades as the season progresses and results on the pitch take precedence over battles in the boardroom and on social media. What is certain is that the relationship between La Liga’s leadership and its most powerful club has rarely been more strained, and the referee’s whistle will not be the only sound accompanying Real Madrid’s matches this season.
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