The Meeting with Referees Fails to Quell Real Madrid's Anger

The Real Madrid team visited the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas on Monday to listen to the audio recordings of the conversation between Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz, the referee of the match against Espanyol three weeks ago in Cornellà, and Javier Iglesias Villanueva, the VOR room official during that controversial encounter. This meeting, requested by the club, was held in a cordial atmosphere of "absolute respect from both sides," according to Luis Medina Cantalejo, President of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA). However, it did not alleviate Real Madrid's dissatisfaction, as the club remains steadfast in its campaign against the refereeing body.

"The meeting was conducted in a very cordial manner, with absolute respect from both sides. I believe it is always beneficial to sit down and present our viewpoints," stated Medina Cantalejo after the meeting, which was also attended by Clos Gómez, director of the VAR project, and José Ángel Sánchez, the general director of Real Madrid and Florentino Pérez's right-hand man.

The meeting took place amid heightened tension following three matchdays that have significantly increased Real Madrid's frustration with refereeing decisions, placing referees under intense pressure from the club.

The summit was overshadowed not only by Muñiz Ruiz's decision not to expel Espanyol's Carlos Romero for a harsh tackle on Mbappé but also by the disallowed goal by Vinicius due to a prior foul by Real Madrid's '9' on Pol Lozano in the same match. Additionally, penalties awarded for Tchouaméni's foul on Samuel Lino in the Madrid derby and Camavinga's foul on Budimir in the Osasuna-Real Madrid match last Saturday further fueled Real Madrid's anger, especially after Bellingham's expulsion for allegedly disrespecting Munuera Montero.

"We discussed the relevant plays. We offered to clarify any other issues they might be curious about or want to understand regarding decisions made on the field or from the VOR room. We are open to all teams. It's standard practice here, and we told them our doors are open, just like for other teams," explained Medina Cantalejo regarding a meeting that does not calm the club's demand for a "structural reform" within a refereeing system they consider "flawed."

"The procedure was the same as with other teams. We discuss a specific play and other circumstances that occur," argued Medina Cantalejo about a summit that does not alter Real Madrid's agenda.

At the 'white house,' there is a feeling of being wronged by a series of refereeing decisions, and they continue to demand a "comprehensive reform" of the refereeing system. The explanations provided by Medina Cantalejo and Clos Gómez on Monday have not changed Real Madrid's dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions in recent weeks.