Real Madrid has publicly called for Javier Tebas to be replaced as La Liga president, following a heated dispute over refereeing decisions in their recent 2-1 derby defeat against Atlético Madrid.
The club’s demand comes after Tebas dismissed Real Madrid’s complaints as belonging to “another galaxy”. This dismissal followed Tebas’s public response to a pro-Real article that addressed what he termed “conspiracy claims” against the club. In a strong counter-statement, Real Madrid described Tebas’s conduct as “intolerable” and asserted that Spanish professional football urgently requires new leadership at the top of the competition.
Real Madrid’s grievances stem from several incidents during the match at the Metropolitano. A key point of contention was Atlético’s Cristian Romero avoiding a red card for a stamp on Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. The club also raised concerns about a challenge by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde. Real Madrid’s own match report was notably headlined “Terrible refereeing decides the derby”.
Tebas, in turn, accused Real-aligned media outlets of pushing a “permanent conspiracy” narrative. He stated that while Real Madrid is crucial to La Liga, the competition “belongs to no one”. Real Madrid’s statement called Tebas’s behaviour “inappropriate and persistent”, arguing that the use of his institutional position to repeatedly discredit and attack the club had become untenable. They further stressed that the league president is an administrator serving the clubs, not an owner of the competition, and must uphold a fundamental duty of neutrality. The club believes the league needs “a leader capable of managing it and realising its full potential with the fundamental duty of neutrality”.
The controversy also saw former Real Madrid manager José Mourinho confront referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias during the defeat. Mourinho reportedly criticised those responsible for the appointment, suggesting his side could win the title if allowed to compete on a level playing field.
Currently, Real Madrid sits six points behind early leaders Barcelona in the La Liga standings. The ongoing dispute with the league’s top official adds another layer of tension to their title challenge, highlighting the club’s deep dissatisfaction with the current state of officiating and league management.