R eal Madrid has issued a scathing condemnation of Spanish refereeing following their shocking 1-0 defeat to Espanyol on Saturday. The club described the officiating as "rigged" and "completely discredited," focusing their outrage on a controversial 61st-minute incident where Espanyol defender Carlos Romero received only a yellow card for a reckless tackle on Kylian Mbappé. To compound Madrid's frustration, Romero went on to score the match's only goal, reducing Madrid's La Liga lead to just one point.
In a public letter to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Real Madrid’s board secretary, José Luis del Valle Pérez, wrote, "The events of the match exceeded any margin for human error or refereeing interpretation." The club also protested a disallowed goal by Vinícius Júnior, which was annulled after Mbappé was penalized for a foul during the buildup.
Madrid demanded the immediate release of VAR audio recordings related to both incidents, alleging that refereeing decisions against them have escalated to a level of "manipulation and alteration of the competition that cannot be ignored." The club called for a complete overhaul of Spain's refereeing system, accusing it of being "structurally built to protect itself" and "corrupt from within."
"When those responsible for oversight are the same ones influencing key decisions, we end up with what we are currently experiencing," the statement read.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti echoed the club's sentiments, criticizing the officiating and stating, "It was a clear foul, a very ugly tackle. We’re lucky there’s no serious injury."
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