Real Madrid TV fires back at Atlético over referee claims in September
Real Madrid TV issued a fresh and forceful response to Atlético de Madrid on 22 September, as reported by Diario AS. The video was released to address comments made by Diego Simeone after the recent derby and an Atlético tweet that questioned the officiating.
Video counters Atlético's tweet and highlights selective memory
The piece directly answers the Atlético tweet and Simeone's post‑match remarks, positioning itself as a rebuttal to the club’s criticism of the referee decisions. It frames the dispute as part of an ongoing public exchange between the two sides, according to the breakdown of Atlético’s response.
The central argument of the video, as Diario AS describes, is that Atlético’s repeated calls for respect toward match officials have not been applied consistently by the club itself. This claim is built around the notion that the club’s own actions contradict its stated demands for fairness.
Opening with a carousel of archive footage and old social‑media posts, the video constructs its case by recalling past statements rather than presenting a new incident. The selection of material suggests a focus on selective memory, reinforcing the narrative that Atlético has shifted its stance over time.
Historical clips and former officials feature in the rebuttal
Among the recalled material is Simeone’s earlier description of the league as “dangerously prepared for Madrid,” and a statement attributed to Atlético chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín that the same refereeing dynamic has persisted for a decade. These excerpts are used to underline perceived hypocrisy.
The video also cites Atlético communications that previously questioned refereeing decisions, alongside a club social‑media post that asked followers to retweet if they wanted the rules applied equally to everyone. This pattern aligns with the broader trend of referee‑focused output highlighted in the wider coverage of Real Madrid TV’s editorial approach.
Closing the piece, the video notes that Manzano, a former Atlético coach, now holds responsibility for designating match officials, framing this as further evidence of the club’s shifting stance. Diario AS reports no direct reply from Atlético or Simeone to the video, and no verified quotes have been published. The exchange nevertheless marks an escalation in the public back‑and‑forth that followed the derby, with Real Madrid TV positioning itself as the club’s mouthpiece on the matter.