Real Madrid TV (RMTV) has rejected an apology from journalist Juanma Castaño, who had compared the club’s in-house channel to the newspaper Gara. RMTV presenter Álvaro de la Lama stated that Castaño’s apology did little to soften his continued accusations against the channel’s coverage.
The Initial Controversy
The dispute began after Castaño made the comparison in an opinion column. Real Madrid responded with a strong public statement, describing the comparison as “deplorable and unacceptable.” The club’s statement explicitly linked Gara to the ETA terrorist organisation and indicated it reserved the right to take “appropriate measures” in response to what it called an unacceptable attack.
This initial condemnation from Real Madrid followed lingering anger over refereeing performance in the Madrid derby, a result the club has continued to dispute. Real Madrid has regularly used RMTV to highlight perceived injustices and refereeing decisions.
Castaño’s Apology and RMTV’s Rejection
Castaño subsequently apologised for the specific Gara comparison, acknowledging it was “excessive.” However, he maintained his broader criticism, describing RMTV’s output as misleading and manipulative.
Speaking on RMTV, Álvaro de la Lama rejected this partial apology. He explained that he took the Gara comparison personally due to its historical links to ETA. De la Lama argued that an apology limited to that one phrase, while continuing the accusations against the channel, did not genuinely resolve the issue.
RMTV Defends Its Coverage
RMTV defends its coverage of refereeing decisions, which it frequently broadcasts. De la Lama asserted that the footage the channel has broadcast week after week backs up its arguments rather than undermining them. He questioned whether RMTV should be placed in the same category as a publication tied to a terrorist group’s support network.
The ongoing public exchange highlights the tension between Real Madrid and parts of the Spanish media, particularly concerning the club’s in-house channel’s critical analysis of refereeing matters.