LaLiga president Javier Tebas dismissed any refereeing conspiracy against Real Madrid after their loss to Atletico Madrid. He called the claims a "smokescreen" to hide other shortcomings.
Who: Javier Tebas, LaLiga president; What: firmly denied any refereeing conspiracy against Real Madrid; When: after Real's 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby on Sunday; Where: at the Metropolitano Stadium, Spain.
Match details and allegations
The derby ended 2-1 in favour of Atletico, with Adelino Sifuna scoring in the 23rd minute and Ivan Radovic adding a second in the second half. After the game, social media buzzed with claims that officials made deliberate errors to benefit Atletico, suggesting external pressure.
Tebas' statement
Speaking at a press conference in Madrid, Tebas said: "These allegations are a smokescreen intended to hide other shortcomings in the federation's administrative and sporting performance." He added that LaLiga continuously monitors referee quality and is improving it through training programmes and regular assessments.
Reactions
The comment sparked mixed reactions; some journalists praised the timing as a way to defuse the controversy, while others criticised the lack of concrete evidence to back the denial. Several Real Madrid players also expressed concern over recurring officiating errors.
Conclusion
The question of whether any actual misconduct occurred in the derby remains open, but Tebas affirmed that LaLiga will keep overseeing officiating and enforce transparent standards to safeguard competition integrity.
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