Against the backdrop of an alleged advantage in arbitration, war is declared between the coaches of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
It has been several matches that Barça considers itself a victim of refereeing – again on Saturday evening despite its victory against Alaves when the young Vitor Roque was severely sent off. “ I only ask that the referees let us play. That’s all I ask. I won’t talk about referees anymore, because it always backfires on me. But let us playthunders Xavi. Vitor Roque’s second yellow card is a blatant mistake, nothing more. Since the first match, I said it to Getafe, I believe we are paying for the Negreira affair. I have no doubt about it. This is reality, this is the truth, this is how I feel. »
The Blaugrana coach is alluding here to the famous affair of alleged corruption by Barça of the former vice-president of the federal arbitration commission in Spain, Enriquez Negreira. A problem which he believes harms his team. Recently favorably refereed against Almeria, Real Madrid, then the target of numerous criticisms, decided to counter-attack via its official media by blithely insisting on this Negreira affair which embarrasses FC Barcelona so much.
“I don’t want to lower myself to that level”
“ What Real Madrid Television is doing is a shame », said the president of the Catalan club Joan Laporta. An indignation shared by his coach Xavi: “ I agree 100% with the president, it is a reality. I think this distorts the competition a little. The referees are conditioned, we see it, and I don’t like it. »
Asked to react to the controversy in turn, this weekend at a press conference, Carlo Ancelotti, the Merengue strategist, did not completely shy away, addressing an undisguised attack on his Blaugrana counterpart: “ I am a professional and as a professional I do not want to lower myself to this level out of respect for Spanish football. Don’t ask any more questions about this because I won’t stoop to that level. It’s not at the professional level… »
