Real Madrid issued a statement on 16/10 condemning remarks by Javier Tebas, calling for the La Liga president's resignation. The club deemed Tebas's comparison of Real Madrid TV's operations to Nazi propaganda methods insulting. Real Madrid also demanded comprehensive reform of Spain's refereeing system and football governance.

Endrick celebrates with teammate Arda Guler after scoring Real Madrid's third goal in a 4-3 victory over Roma in a Champions League qualifying match in Rome, Italy, on 14/10/2026. Photo: AP

The controversy began with Tebas's social media remarks, where he likened Real Madrid TV's operations to the propaganda techniques employed by Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister. Tebas claimed the club's channel consistently highlights situations favorable to its arguments, emphasizing a sense of injustice and portraying the team as a victim.

Tebas, 64, has served as La Liga president since 2013 and is also vice president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). He is well-known for making controversial statements on social media.

In his recent comments, Tebas asserted that Real Madrid TV fails to provide a comprehensive analysis of matches, omitting refereeing errors that might disadvantage other teams or benefit Real. He also criticized the club's frequent invocation of the Negreira case to justify their dissatisfaction with referee decisions.

Tebas clarified that his comparison was solely directed at propaganda techniques, not at Nazi ideology or Real Madrid supporters.

Real Madrid rejected this explanation in its 16/10 statement. The club deemed it unacceptable for an individual holding two prominent leadership roles in Spanish football to employ such a comparison when criticizing the team, its leadership, and its television channel.

Real Madrid asserted that Tebas's explanation did not mitigate the insulting nature of his remarks. The club characterized his comments as grave, offensive, and unbecoming of a sports official.

La Liga president Javier Tebas speaks to the media at Ciudad del Futbol, Las Rozas, outside Madrid, Spain, on 16/12/2024. Photo: AFP

The club further stated that this incident represents another instance in Tebas's ongoing attacks on Real Madrid, its president Florentino Perez, and its media outlets. Real Madrid accused Tebas of leveraging external journalistic inquiries and opinions to make unsubstantiated claims against the club.

The Negreira case also featured prominently in the statement. Real Madrid contended that Tebas was using his recent comments to undermine the legitimacy of the club's actions and Real Madrid TV's reporting concerning the affair.

The Negreira case involves payments Barcelona made over several years to a company associated with Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, former vice president of the Spanish Referee Technical Committee.

Real Madrid stated it had directly petitioned the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for full clarification of the payments and the implementation of necessary measures to safeguard the integrity of competitions. The club criticized La Liga and the RFEF for their inadequate response to the gravity of the matter.

Consequently, Real Madrid demanded a comprehensive overhaul of Spain's refereeing system, including its governance, operational, oversight, and disciplinary structures. The club also called for the replacement of individuals who held positions of responsibility during the period implicated in the Negreira case.

Real Madrid characterized Tebas's conduct as demonstrating a lack of neutrality, respect, and fairness, inconsistent with his responsibilities at Spain's two premier football organizations. Instead of facilitating clarification and systemic reform, he has focused on attacking those advocating for transparency.

Concluding its statement, Real Madrid declared that Tebas's repeated statements and actions have rendered him unfit for his current roles. The club demanded his immediate resignation from both the presidency of La Liga and the vice presidency of the RFEF.

Hoang An