Real Madrid TV declares war on referee after derby defeat: More than just a match

At minute 64 of the Madrid derby, Dean Huijsen – Real Madrid's young centre-back – lunged into a challenge on Giuliano Simeone inside the box. Referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias did not hesitate: penalty and a straight red card. Real Madrid's hopes of turning the game around collapsed, while Atletico Madrid secured a 2-1 win. But the real contest actually began after the final whistle. Within hours, Real Madrid's own television channel – Real Madrid TV – released a video attacking the referee with unprecedented language. They not only called the decision "sickening", but also implied that Ortiz Arias was "hanging out with Barcelona players". In an instant, an ordinary defeat turned into a political accusation about the integrity of Spanish football. That is the genuinely frightening part. You cannot understand this attack without seeing the season-long context. Real Madrid TV has repeatedly accused La Liga referees of bias towards Barcelona, evoking the Negreira case – the investigation into historical payments between Barcelona and the former vice-president of the referees' committee. Every time Real Madrid face a setback, their channel constructs a narrative of systematic persecution. This time they went further: they targeted a specific referee, questioning his impartiality through a relationship with no evidence. They also accused La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) of having a "plan" against Real Madrid, even naming La Liga president Javier Tebas. The rhetoric escalated from "nauseating" to "revolvers" – as if the pitch has become a battlefield. But notably, when you review the entire match, you find only one genuinely controversial decision: the penalty and red card for Huijsen. There were no wrongly disallowed goals, no wrongly awarded goals. The 2-1 scoreline reflects a simple reality: Real Madrid lost a derby because they were not sharp enough. What Real Madrid TV is doing is not journalism; it is weaponry. Remember: Real Madrid TV is a channel owned by the club, operated by the board. When such a channel broadcasts a serious accusation, it is not an independent editorial – it is an official policy statement by the club's leadership. What are they trying to hide by blaming the referee? They have no statistical data proving bias. They cannot point to a single analogous first-half incident where Atletico escaped punishment. They only named Cristian Romero and Lee Kang-in – two players they claim deserved to be sent off – yet there is no clear video evidence. From the referee's perspective, showing a red card for a dangerous challenge in the box is a correct decision under the laws. From Real Madrid's perspective, you will say the referee missed several fouls by the opponent. But "if" is not proof. A television channel can repeat a message a hundred times, but repetition does not make it true. Moreover, this attack has a clear strategic purpose: to mobilise fan support ahead of a fight with Spanish football's governing bodies. The line "many Madrid fans want to stand up and walk away from this competition" is not spontaneous emotion; it is a crafted message. It recalls calls for a Super League. When Real Madrid cannot win on the pitch, they win on the news front. Instead of admitting they were not good enough, they turn themselves into victims of a dark force. This is not only damaging to the league's integrity; it is also damaging to Real Madrid's own players. A team constantly told by its leadership that "everything is rigged" will gradually lose its ability to fight back. They will start looking for external excuses for every failure instead of looking at themselves. That is a psychological disease more dangerous than any injury. Let us look from the other side. If you are a young referee, what do you think when you see the biggest club's television channel call your colleague a "guy who hangs out with Barcelona players"? The pressure falls not only on Ortiz Arias, but on the entire refereeing profession. In a system already lacking transparency, personal attacks will make it harder for officials to make the best decisions. They will worry about media reaction instead of focusing on the game. As a result, the quality of officiating declines, and Real Madrid will suffer the most in the long run. Furthermore, this attack could lead to disciplinary sanctions. RFEF regulations prohibit statements that discredit referees. If Real Madrid TV continues, they not only face an investigation but also damage the club's international image. But one detail that Real Madrid TV forgets in its anger: Huijsen's red card was a mistake by the young player himself. Huijsen lunged at high speed with no control. That was not a decision imposed on Real Madrid by the referee; it was a dangerous action by a Real Madrid player. In top-level football, challenges like that in the box are usually punished with a penalty. As for Romero and Lee Kang-in not being sent off? There may be debate, but when your team loses 2-1, you cannot only blame the referee for one missed call while your team had the whole game to create more chances. Blaming others is the easiest way to avoid facing a hard reality: Real Madrid were not good enough. Real Madrid's current problem is not the referee; it is the defence. Huijsen received a red card and will be suspended for the next match. They have to "rebuild the backline" without a key centre-back. In a congested fixture list, that is a far bigger risk than any controversial decision. Instead of preparing for the next game, they are preparing for a media war. That will distract them, and their opponents will exploit it. Look at history. When a team turns itself into a victim of conspiracy theories, they often fail to overcome difficult moments. The greatest teams in the world share one trait: they never make excuses. They take responsibility. They accept defeat and come back stronger. The Real Madrid of the 2010s did exactly that. But the current Real Madrid, with its television channel crying about injustice, shows a different image. To be clear: I am not defending referee errors. If Ortiz Arias made a mistake, he should be reviewed. But attributing a referee's relationship with Barcelona players without evidence is slander. And that slander does not only target an individual; it erodes public trust in an entire league. When Real Madrid TV says La Liga and the RFEF are plotting against them, they are planting the idea that the competition is unfair. That harms everyone, including Real Madrid. We all know football is a sport of emotions. In a moment of anger, people can say things they regret. But Real Madrid TV is not a person; it is a professional organisation. It has a responsibility to verify information before broadcasting. It cannot justify itself by saying it is merely reflecting fans' mood. If it does, it is lowering its own role. Ultimately, this story is not just about Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid or the referee. It is about the future of Spanish football. If the biggest clubs keep using their media as political weapons, the league will become a theatre of chaos. Sponsors will question their investment, broadcasters will reduce the value of rights, and genuine fans will turn away. The time has come for Real Madrid to decide: do they want to be a great football empire, or a bitter media empire? They can choose to fight on the pitch, where talent and discipline decide, or fight in the studio, where words can kill trust. I hope they choose the pitch. Because when you use the referee as an excuse, you are depriving yourself of greatness. In the next three matches, we will see clearly. If Real Madrid stumble because their defence is depleted, remember that the problem does not come from the referee, but from their own illusion. A great club does not need to drag others down to assert itself. Greatness comes from victories, not from complaints. And with a history like Real Madrid, they should know that better than anyone else.