Real Madrid demands new La Liga leadership after Javier Tebas rejects derby referee complaints

Post-derby dispute and press conference

Tensions escalated following Atlético Madrid's 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in Sunday's derby at the Metropolitano. Real Madrid was reduced to ten men when defender Dean Huijsen received a red card, and manager José Mourinho attributed the loss directly to referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias. During his post-match appearance, the 63-year-old Portuguese coach brought printed screenshots of match footage to the media room. Mourinho argued that Atlético's Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in both committed fouls in the first half that warranted straight red cards, while stating he preferred to view the decisions as refereeing mistakes rather than an organized effort. The club's official website published a derby match report under the headline "A catastrophic refereeing performance decides the derby".

We can skip the press conference because the story of the match is right here. Those were two clear red cards. Given the difficulties we faced afterwards playing 11 against 10, we can only imagine what 50 minutes of 11 against nine would have been like.

Social media reaction from Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid responded to Mourinho's complaints on Monday by launching a satirical social media campaign in support of the match officials. The club published a video showing a photograph of Mourinho rolling out of a printer, accompanied by the slogan "Stop refereeing harassment now". Mourinho had criticized the appointment of the 41-year-old Ortiz Arias, remarking that the official was announced a week before the fixture rather than the usual 24 hours and had struggled with match pressure because he is not on the international refereeing list. The derby outcome left Atlético Madrid second in the table behind Barcelona, while Real Madrid dropped to fourth place. Mourinho is in his second managerial stint at Real Madrid, having previously guided the team to a La Liga title and Copa del Rey between 2010 and 2013.

League president dismisses conspiracy claims

La Liga president Javier Tebas responded on social media on Tuesday, rejecting claims of referee bias and accusing Real Madrid of deflecting from sporting issues. Tebas analyzed the disputed derby fouls, stating that Romero played the ball first and did not deserve a dismissal, while acknowledging that Lee's challenge occurred at high speed. Tebas condemned Real Madrid Television for applying unfair pressure on match officials and dismissing the league in September as manipulated. The dispute follows several years of conflict between Tebas and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, who previously clashed over the 2021 European Super League project and formal complaints submitted to the Spanish FA in 2025.

Claiming that referees are directed against Real Madrid is living in another galaxy. That narrative serves as an excuse to cover up other shortcomings that are plain to see in these first matches of the season. It's more comfortable to point to a conspiracy than to explain what's happening on the pitch.

Real Madrid calls for leadership change

Real Madrid responded on Tuesday with an official statement calling for an immediate leadership change at La Liga. The club described Tebas's comments as an intolerable attack that damages the international image of Spanish football. Real Madrid argued that the domestic league requires a neutral administrator who acts as a manager serving its member clubs rather than operating as an owner. The dispute occurs as Real Madrid sits six points behind league leaders Barcelona, who maintain a perfect record with 21 points across seven matches. The club has maintained long-running grievances against Spanish officiating, with Pérez having claimed in a May press conference that poor decisions historically cost the club seven league titles.