Javier Tebas is never one to let a quiet moment pass. So when Real Madrid sent a formal complaint to UEFA about refereeing decisions tied to the Negreira case, the La Liga president had something to say about it.
Speaking at a press conference in Madrid on Thursday, Tebas was asked about the dossier Los Blancos submitted. He admitted he hadn’t read it yet but made clear he was looking forward to digging in. And then he took his shot.
“If anyone can’t complain about refereeing errors, it’s Madrid,” Tebas said, according to Mundo Deportivo.
That line is going to sting, especially coming from the league’s top executive. Tebas has had a rocky relationship with Real Madrid for years, and this latest exchange feels like another round in an ongoing fight.
He also questioned whether the report only covered calls that went against Madrid or if it acknowledged mistakes that hurt other clubs during the same stretch. The implication was clear: selective outrage doesn’t carry much weight.
The Laporta visit and the Perez question
Tebas was also asked about attending Joan Laporta’s inauguration ceremony earlier this week. He went, he spoke, and he didn’t shy away from the fact that he and Laporta don’t always see eye to eye.
That led to the obvious follow-up: would he do the same for Florentino Perez?
Tebas explained that he gets invites to Real Madrid’s VIP box every weekend but usually turns them down for personal reasons. Family stuff, he said. But he made it clear that if an inauguration invitation came from Perez, he’d accept.
“If it were an inauguration, of course I’d go, I’d take the floor and, of course, I’d say the same thing I said yesterday,” Tebas said. “That there are periods of disagreement, difficult times, when everyone defends their own position, but the important thing is to work with respect for the institutions.”
Translation: he’ll show up, but he’s not backing down.
Real Madrid’s complaint to UEFA is the latest twist in the Negreira saga, where Barcelona is accused of making payments to a former vice president of Spain’s refereeing committee. Madrid has been vocal about wanting clarity and accountability. Tebas, who has backed Barcelona’s position at times, clearly thinks the club protesting the loudest has some nerve.
Whether this leads to anything concrete from UEFA remains to be seen. But in the meantime, Tebas made sure nobody forgot where he stands.
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