La Liga president Javier Tebas slams Real Madrid’s ‘cruel’ pressure on referees after controversial Madrid derby

The tension has extended beyond the pitch and into the digital sphere, with Atletico posting a message on social media that read ‘Stop refereeing harassment now.’ When asked about this public statement, Tebas revealed he had not yet seen the specific tweet but used the opportunity to double down on La Liga’s ongoing legal and ethical battle with Real’s official television channel. The league has previously reported the club for its broadcast segments that scrutinize referees before and after matches, a practice Tebas finds increasingly problematic for the integrity of the competition.

“The tweet I haven’t seen. We denounced the conduct of Real Madrid Television some time ago and, after yesterday, we must continue with ethics. It is an unfair and cruel way to pressure the referee,” he said.

When asked about the fact that the referee had become the central figure of the post-match discussion, Tebas chose to stay away from further individual criticism, simply noting: “The protagonists are the ones who make the comments, therefore, I’m not going to give my opinion.”