Tebas reproaches Real Madrid for manipulation at the Gala

Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, spoke at the XII Gala Awards for Altruism, a charity gala held this Wednesday in Madrid. The information was gathered by EFE and journalist Pepe Gil. From the stage, Tebas harshly criticised Real Madrid for its accusations of competition tampering following the controversial refereeing of the derby at the Metropolitano.

Refereeing error and Tebas' reaction

In his remarks, Tebas acknowledged that he understands the criticism because the referee made a mistake by showing a card to Kang-in Lee, also known as Kang, but he rejected the notion that the competition was being manipulated. “I understand the criticism because the referee gave the card to Kang-in Lee, I can understand that. But I cannot understand them saying that the competition is tampered with,” he said.

Tebas added that the error involving Kang‑in was minor and that play resumed quickly, without the VAR having enough time to react. “The Kang‑in incident was a mistake but not as blatant as claimed. Play resumed very quickly, I don’t know if the VAR officials had time to react,” he noted.

Historical accusations and moral stance

The official emphasized that it is normal for clubs to get angry about refereeing decisions, but none should claim that LaLiga is rigged. He quoted Real Madrid TV, which said that referees only need to step onto the pitch with a revolver, and argued that the president of LaLiga must not remain silent in the face of such accusations.

Tebas recalled that he has been hearing similar requests from Madrid for twelve years, such as the demand to change the head of the league association. “Surprising? We’ve been at it for 12 years,” he said, adding that he remains firm in his stance despite years of criticism.

The president noted that it is not the first time other clubs, such as Atlético de Madrid or Sevilla, have alleged alleged irregularities. He assured that the competition is making its utmost efforts and that discrediting it harms all clubs.

Regarding the moral issue, Tebas stated that between good and evil one must choose and express what one thinks. He also revisited the Negreira case, reminding that it is still on trial and that LaLiga has been acting as a private prosecutor since 2019.

With the conviction to defend football’s integrity, Tebas concluded that he cannot remain silent in the face of accusations that attack the competition, and reiterated his commitment to keep speaking out and protecting the League.