«Tebas and Negreira League!»: Real Madrid TV tears derby referee to pieces
After the conclusion of the Madrid derby on Matchday 7 of the Spanish La Liga, controversies surrounding the officiating have risen to a new, much more intense level. Having lost 1:2 to Atlético at the Metropolitano, Real Madrid's official club television channel (Real Madrid TV) launched unprecedentedly harsh accusations against the performance of main referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias.
During the club's broadcast, not only was Huijsen's 50th-minute sending-off analyzed, but rough fouls committed by opposing players Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in in the first half were shown step-by-step, with the referee openly accused of favoring Atlético and failing to show two clear red cards. The TV presenter harshly branded La Liga as the "Tebas and Negreira League," emphasizing that Ortiz Arias showed his true colors: "Atlético should have been left with 9 men on the pitch, not 10!"
So, what controversial decisions lie behind Real TV's harsh statements, how will the La Liga leadership respond to these grave accusations, and what mark will this controversy leave on the history of Madrid derbies?
"Two unshown red cards and open fury": Controversial moments shown by Real Madrid TV
The main controversial situations raised and broadcast on the club's television:
Minute 37: Cristian Romero's challenge on Bellingham: The referee initially showed a yellow card to Jude, but after going to the VAR monitor, he canceled his decision and booked Romero; however, the Real side called this a clear red card because Romero planted his studs just below the English star's knee;
"A textbook clear red card!": The TV host described the failure to show Romero a red card instead of a yellow as a disgrace and an obvious instance of referee bias;
Minute 45: Lee Kang-in's foul on Valverde: The South Korean midfielder made a dangerous studs-up challenge on Valverde's ankle in the center of the pitch, but referee Arias did not even show him a routine yellow card;
"Atlético should have been left with 9 men": According to Real TV, had the rules been fully applied, the hosts Romero and Lee Kang-in should have been sent off as early as the first half;
Direct attack on the Negreira and Tebas system: The club's official broadcast accused the referee of protecting the interests of a specific system and making such decisions deliberately in front of the cameras.
Most controversial situations in the Madrid derby: Referee's decision and Real TV's assessment
Analysis of the two decisive episodes in the first half:
Controversial minutes | Incident on the pitch | Main referee's decision | Real TV's official assessment |
Minute 37 | Romero planted his studs below Bellingham's knee | Initially yellow to Bellingham, then yellow to Romero via VAR | "A textbook clear red card, a huge disgrace" |
Minute 45 | Lee Kang-in openly kicked Valverde's ankle with his studs | Foul called, but no card shown | "Second clear red card, the opponent should have been left with 9 men" |
Minute 50 | Dean Huijsen conceded a penalty in the penalty area | Direct red card and penalty | "One-sided standards and a gift to the opponent" |
Media and sports analysis: What consequences will this controversy lead to?
Main conclusions of Spanish football insiders and sports journalists:
Real TV's pressure and threat of punishment: The club television's open accusations that referees are bought and serving a specific system could lead to an investigation and new fines by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF);
Solidarity between Mourinho and the club media: Head coach José Mourinho's post-match ironic statement that "The referee lacked experience, he's just a referee for petty games" fully aligned with the position of the club media;
Deepening of the refereeing crisis in La Liga: Sharp discrepancies in VAR decisions during matches between giants in every round are causing serious damage to the league's image;
Tension in the standings: Falling 6 points behind Barcelona due to this defeat, the Madrid team, while trying to stop its winless streak, has also opened an open front against external factors and refereeing pressure.
Although the Madrid derby has concluded, the echoes of the decisions at the Metropolitano and Real TV's sensational statements are bound to dominate the Spanish football agenda for a long time.
Do you think Romero's foul on Bellingham and Lee Kang-in's foul on Valverde were truly deserving of direct red cards? Do you agree with Real TV's harsh and ruthless criticism of the referees? Leave your opinion in the comments and share this hot analysis around the Madrid derby with all football fans and loved ones!
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