La Liga President Tebas slams Real Madrid refereeing ‘conspiracy’ claims | Football
Mourinho Accuses Officials of Bias Following Derby Defeat
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Published September 22, 2026
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has criticized officiating standards in La Liga after his team’s 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in the latest Madrid derby.
Addressing reporters following the match, Mourinho presented two printed screenshots that he claimed showed red-card offenses committed by Atletico players. His remarks follow allegations of a refereeing “conspiracy” against Real Madrid after the defeat.
In response, La Liga President Javier Tebas challenged the notion of biased officiating, stating that such accusations detract from the performance of the teams involved. “Here they go again, the mouthpieces and the regime’s television, building the same old narrative – the permanent conspiracy,” Tebas said on social media, referencing a pro-Real Madrid article that suggested officials were harming the club’s interests.
Tebas further clarified, “What exactly is it asking for? Refereeing based on revenue, viewership, or the badge? What a way to understand equality in the competition.” He emphasized that while Real Madrid is an integral part of La Liga, claims that the league “is worth nothing” without them reflect a lack of respect for other clubs and their supporters.
Real Madrid’s slow start to the season has them six points behind early leaders Barcelona. Tebas dismissed Mourinho’s claims by stating, “Claiming that referees are directed against Real Madrid is living in another galaxy,” adding that such narratives serve as excuses to conceal the team’s shortcomings.
This was Mourinho’s second stint at Real Madrid, where he returned with the objective of ending a two-year trophy drought. During the derby, he expressed anger over a non-carded challenge by Cristian Romero on Jude Bellingham, as well as a tackle by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde, especially given that Atletico was reduced to ten players shortly after halftime.
Valverde, who finished the match, was later diagnosed with severe trauma to his left ankle, according to a club statement. Mourinho, visibly frustrated, held up the images of the tackles during his nearly five-minute address, stating, “Those were two clear red cards. The difficulties we’ve faced since the sending-off: 11 against 10. Well, we can imagine what 50 minutes of 11 against nine would have been like if justice had been done.”
