Real Madrid TV intensifies refereeing attack with Barcelona clasico approaching

Real Madrid’s official television channel has renewed its criticism of refereeing decisions and revived references to the Negreira case less than 24 hours before the club’s meeting with Barcelona in the clasico.

The channel presented a series of comparisons involving dismissals, disallowed goals and penalties in matches between the two sides over recent years. It claimed the decisions showed repeated inconsistencies that had benefited Barcelona, with the latest broadcast focusing attention on refereeing before the fixture at Camp Nou.

According to Catalan newspaper Sport, Real Madrid TV began by comparing the number of red cards shown to players from each club since 2000.

“Since 2000, 12 Barcelona players have been sent off, compared with 23 from our side, almost twice as many. That is not normal when you watch many of the clips,” the channel said.

It also used a mocking and insulting name for Barcelona that combined the club’s name with the video assistant referee system, VAR. The broadcast then highlighted incidents involving Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, arguing that some of their challenges should have resulted in red cards.

The criticism also focused on goals that were ruled out. Real Madrid TV cited figures it said demonstrated a disparity between the two clubs.

“Four goals have been disallowed for Barcelona, compared with 20 for Real Madrid. Goals were wrongly disallowed for us, while goals were wrongly awarded to them. It is a scandal,” it said.

The channel accused referees of allowing Barcelona goals despite alleged offside positions or earlier fouls, while claiming that valid Real Madrid goals had been ruled out.

Penalties were another part of the broadcast. “There are many penalties that have not been awarded to us, while they award penalties because of claims of going to ground,” the channel said.

It then described what it called “refereeing imbalances in clasico matches, always in the same direction”, suggesting that decisions had repeatedly favoured Barcelona.

In its most pointed remarks, Real Madrid TV made a sarcastic reference to the effect of its material on the club’s supporters.

“Watching our videos is harmful to the health of Real Madrid fans, given all these abnormal situations,” it said.

The broadcast ended by returning to the controversial Negreira case. “They are the ones who paid the money,” the channel said, referring to payments made by Barcelona to a company linked to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s refereeing committee.

Real Madrid TV also mocked images showing Barcelona players with referees, saying: “Jose Mota can make the videos that bring together Barcelona players and referees.” Jose Mota is a Spanish comedian.