When Whistles Roar: Perez’s Bold Stand in a La Liga Refereeing Storm
15 December 2025
Match fallout and Pérez’s remarks
It’s not reasonable to leave Real Madrid alone in this battle!
Florentino Pérez, the president of Real Madrid, attacked Spanish refereeing in the wake of the Merengues’ Sunday clash with Deportivo Alavés during La Liga’s 17th round.
Real Madrid defeated its hosts Deportivo Alavés 2-1 at the Mendizorrotza Stadium.
Madrid pressed for a penalty for Vinínius Júnior and urged a VAR review, but the request was not acted upon.
Speaking to AS, Pérez said: “What concerns us most right now is the state of refereeing; the situation is extremely serious.”
He added: “What happened in the Nigerira case over two decades deserves justice.”
Key claims and calls for action
“It’s unacceptable for institutions to leave Real Madrid alone in this fight; how can the head of referees ask us to forget it? How can we forget the biggest scandal in football? How can the Spanish federation and La Liga act this way? They must give us guarantees of fair play.”
“The Nigerira case is the most serious issue in football today; we know more than 8 million euros were paid for the referees’ technical reports, and coaches never received them.”
He wondered: “Who would believe these reports were unknown to coaches? This highlights the need for a radical change.”
“Yesterday’s Madrid–Alavés match was officiated by a referee who threatened to take action against our team before the King’s Cup final, and it seems Vinícius and Rodrygo’s incidents were not penalties; this is the latest chapter in a long season of incidents.”
“Some clubs may have been relegated as a consequence of the Nigerira affair; our football has been harmed, and justice must prevail.”
He concluded: “Don’t forget the investigating judge described it as systemic corruption, and Barcelona admitted these payments benefited the club. Why? What was the purpose at the time? Real Madrid will continue pressing this case, and you media have a decisive role.”
Two punchlines aside, the saga rolls on like a stubborn trophy shine in a dusty cabinet.
Punchline 1: If referees ever start wearing halos, maybe VAR will start calling penalties on the clouds.
Punchline 2: In football, the heaviest thing isn’t the trophy; it’s the paperwork—let’s hope the coffee is strong for the lawsuits.
