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Spanish Inquisition: The Media's Refereeing Rants Are Only Hurting Barcelona & Real Madrid
Goal.com’s Ashish Sharma questions the validity of the Spanish media’s incessant referee bashing.
Feb 9, 2010 10:40:00 AM
By Ashish Sharma
There is an immense immaturity almost bordering on stupidity that the Spanish media has collectively displayed in recent weeks. And it all stems from decisions made by referees which have been seen as “favouring” one or both of the giants of La Liga. In usual tedium it all depends on which media outlet one looks at. And that depends on which part of the country it is.
When Cristiano Ronaldo got his marching orders for breaking a Malaga player’s nose with an elbow shunt in a recent game at the Santiago Bernabeu, there was a furore. When Ronaldo was handed a two match ban, the Madrid media, appalled by this decision, picked up the baton and ran the relay on behalf of the club. There was an attempt to overturn the decision. How dare football authorities ban the precious, cherub like do-gooder Ronaldo for breaking a player’s nose?
Blame was even indirectly placed on the match referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa. Cristiano himself suggested that to have sent him off the referee clearly did not understand what it was like to play football. Indeed just as clearly it seems as Ronaldo's failure to understand that breaking noses somehow doesn't fit into the rules of the game.
What made it worse for the Madridistas was that a week or so earlier the referee in a game between Barcelona and Sevilla did not send off Lionel Messi who also seemed to be swinging his arms around wildly as he was being held whilst running with the ball. The argument put forward was that just because Messi failed to “connect” with the opponent’s face, it doesn’t mean that the intention wasn’t there. Just because Messi is much smaller than Ronaldo does not excuse him from being able to commit heinous fouls. Just because, just because, just because and so the line of argument ran.
It shocked the Barcelona camp that Madrid were not only trying to use an example of one of their own players to save Ronaldo, but the insinuation being that the referees somehow looked “favourably” at the Catalan behemoths. As if Barca, of all teams, needed help. But as far as the Madridistas are concerned, there is history to this theory.
And after weeks of insinuation it all came to surface at the end of January, It was a cold night up in Gijon where Barca were in town to face Sporting. Just further along the northern Spanish coast, Los Merengues were due to go into action against Deportivo La Coruna. Ronaldo had lost all his appeals to the various committees for his sending off against Malaga and was set to miss the game. Madrid had not won at the Riazor since 1991. It was such a long time ago that Raul in his entire career at the Bernabeu had NEVER won there in the league. It was so long ago that Madrid's latest signing Sergio Canales was still in nappies.
The ‘Men in White’ were playing in the late kick off and Barca were on before them. Perhaps the Madrid players gathered around a television set rather like in the olden days when folk would gather round to listen to the news coming out on a scratchy wireless. News of impending doom from faraway.
Barely 29 minutes were on the clock and the match referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero signalled for a Barca freekick. Andres Iniesta looked up. With his sense of being able to see open spaces that we mere mortals couldn't even dream about even if we were encouraged to let our imagination run wild, he saw something. He slid a pass out to Pedro, who like a hare shot out of the traps, sped through and scored. It was the game's only goal and it won the Blaugrana all three points. But storm clouds had gathered
The following day, apart from celebrating Madrid's impressive dismantling of both Depor and their jinx, the media was in a frenzy over accusations that Barcelona's goal was so clearly offside only a fan of the team would not have given the decision. Goal.com's very own Cyrus C Malek picked up on the brouhaha from the capital-based sports journals.
Cyrus picked up on the issue of Villarato. The suggestion by the Madrid press being that because of the close relationship between Barca president Joan Laporta and Jose Maria Villar, the head of the Spanish Football Federation, referees are encouraged to look kindly on the Catalan giants. The arrows being slung over from Madrid only gave Barcelona ammunition to throw back.
Laports has droned on relentlessly about “campaigns” against his club. How everyone wants to destabilise FC Barcelona. The rest of Spain has it in for his poor team who are so saintly good themselves. The Barcelona media carry on endlessly about the same theme, throwing in with arrogant nonchalance that everyone is just “jealous” of how amazing they are.
El Mundo Deportivo even refers to the referees favouritism debate raging on internet sites such as Facebook. It then adds its own fuel to the fire with a photo of Villar wearing a Real Madrid shirt posing next to the former ‘Casa Blanca’ president Ramon Calderon. And on it goes. In a country like the United States, to make such open accusations against the guardians of the game would probably have so many legal writs flying around that those making the claims would feel they are caught in the middle of a ferocious rally between Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
The shamelessness of the accusations against Spanish referees is an insult to them. Their refusal to throw their lot into the argument has been to their credit. But the lack of morality that the Spanish media have shown in their own ugly posturing based on nothing more than shouting for the team that they write for is unhinged, and clearly it is time for this idiocy to stop. There are two victims in all of this incrimination. In the last few weeks every single Barcelona player who has gone up before the press has had to answer questions about refereeing bias. And in doing so, it is denying them the right to be able to talk about how their talent, hard work and skill has everything to do with where Barcelona are now.
Similarly, every Madrid player has had to voice an opinion about referee’s favouring Barcelona, thus denying them the chance to feel that they are on a level playing field and with their own skill and talent are capable of overhauling their rivals. The other victim is the referee. Every official who steps out to officiate matches featuring these two teams, does so in the storm of this debate. Knowing every single decision they take, every whistle they blow every moment that turns for or against the two teams will be scrutinised and judged thereafter. Fodder for the scandal. Surely officials have a hard enough job without this unnecessary stupidity being put upon them as well.
And if ever common sense and a harsh look at reality needed to prevail, then it happened last weekend. In front of 65,000 fervent Barca fans, referee Fernando Teixeira Vitienes brandished a straight red card to Gerard Pique for a truly wild tackle after just 25 minutes against Getafe. On 90 minutes he gave a second yellow and sent off another player in blue and maroon, Rafa Marquez, and in the process awarded a penalty to El Geta, which former Madrid lad Roberto Soldado converted.
Despite having only nine players Barca still won 2-1. On this occasion the referee was spot on to send off the duo. Referees may get decisions horribly wrong. They may not be as good as some others, and the argument for video evidence is an argument for another day. But to question their bravery and to question their honour and neutrality just shows how utterly poor the judgement is of those who ask the question.
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When Cristiano Ronaldo got his marching orders for breaking a Malaga player’s nose with an elbow shunt in a recent game at the Santiago Bernabeu, there was a furore. When Ronaldo was handed a two match ban, the Madrid media, appalled by this decision, picked up the baton and ran the relay on behalf of the club. There was an attempt to overturn the decision. How dare football authorities ban the precious, cherub like do-gooder Ronaldo for breaking a player’s nose?
Blame was even indirectly placed on the match referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa. Cristiano himself suggested that to have sent him off the referee clearly did not understand what it was like to play football. Indeed just as clearly it seems as Ronaldo's failure to understand that breaking noses somehow doesn't fit into the rules of the game.
What made it worse for the Madridistas was that a week or so earlier the referee in a game between Barcelona and Sevilla did not send off Lionel Messi who also seemed to be swinging his arms around wildly as he was being held whilst running with the ball. The argument put forward was that just because Messi failed to “connect” with the opponent’s face, it doesn’t mean that the intention wasn’t there. Just because Messi is much smaller than Ronaldo does not excuse him from being able to commit heinous fouls. Just because, just because, just because and so the line of argument ran.
It shocked the Barcelona camp that Madrid were not only trying to use an example of one of their own players to save Ronaldo, but the insinuation being that the referees somehow looked “favourably” at the Catalan behemoths. As if Barca, of all teams, needed help. But as far as the Madridistas are concerned, there is history to this theory.
And after weeks of insinuation it all came to surface at the end of January, It was a cold night up in Gijon where Barca were in town to face Sporting. Just further along the northern Spanish coast, Los Merengues were due to go into action against Deportivo La Coruna. Ronaldo had lost all his appeals to the various committees for his sending off against Malaga and was set to miss the game. Madrid had not won at the Riazor since 1991. It was such a long time ago that Raul in his entire career at the Bernabeu had NEVER won there in the league. It was so long ago that Madrid's latest signing Sergio Canales was still in nappies.
The ‘Men in White’ were playing in the late kick off and Barca were on before them. Perhaps the Madrid players gathered around a television set rather like in the olden days when folk would gather round to listen to the news coming out on a scratchy wireless. News of impending doom from faraway.
Barely 29 minutes were on the clock and the match referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero signalled for a Barca freekick. Andres Iniesta looked up. With his sense of being able to see open spaces that we mere mortals couldn't even dream about even if we were encouraged to let our imagination run wild, he saw something. He slid a pass out to Pedro, who like a hare shot out of the traps, sped through and scored. It was the game's only goal and it won the Blaugrana all three points. But storm clouds had gathered
The following day, apart from celebrating Madrid's impressive dismantling of both Depor and their jinx, the media was in a frenzy over accusations that Barcelona's goal was so clearly offside only a fan of the team would not have given the decision. Goal.com's very own Cyrus C Malek picked up on the brouhaha from the capital-based sports journals.
Cyrus picked up on the issue of Villarato. The suggestion by the Madrid press being that because of the close relationship between Barca president Joan Laporta and Jose Maria Villar, the head of the Spanish Football Federation, referees are encouraged to look kindly on the Catalan giants. The arrows being slung over from Madrid only gave Barcelona ammunition to throw back.
Laports has droned on relentlessly about “campaigns” against his club. How everyone wants to destabilise FC Barcelona. The rest of Spain has it in for his poor team who are so saintly good themselves. The Barcelona media carry on endlessly about the same theme, throwing in with arrogant nonchalance that everyone is just “jealous” of how amazing they are.
El Mundo Deportivo even refers to the referees favouritism debate raging on internet sites such as Facebook. It then adds its own fuel to the fire with a photo of Villar wearing a Real Madrid shirt posing next to the former ‘Casa Blanca’ president Ramon Calderon. And on it goes. In a country like the United States, to make such open accusations against the guardians of the game would probably have so many legal writs flying around that those making the claims would feel they are caught in the middle of a ferocious rally between Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
The shamelessness of the accusations against Spanish referees is an insult to them. Their refusal to throw their lot into the argument has been to their credit. But the lack of morality that the Spanish media have shown in their own ugly posturing based on nothing more than shouting for the team that they write for is unhinged, and clearly it is time for this idiocy to stop. There are two victims in all of this incrimination. In the last few weeks every single Barcelona player who has gone up before the press has had to answer questions about refereeing bias. And in doing so, it is denying them the right to be able to talk about how their talent, hard work and skill has everything to do with where Barcelona are now.
Similarly, every Madrid player has had to voice an opinion about referee’s favouring Barcelona, thus denying them the chance to feel that they are on a level playing field and with their own skill and talent are capable of overhauling their rivals. The other victim is the referee. Every official who steps out to officiate matches featuring these two teams, does so in the storm of this debate. Knowing every single decision they take, every whistle they blow every moment that turns for or against the two teams will be scrutinised and judged thereafter. Fodder for the scandal. Surely officials have a hard enough job without this unnecessary stupidity being put upon them as well.
And if ever common sense and a harsh look at reality needed to prevail, then it happened last weekend. In front of 65,000 fervent Barca fans, referee Fernando Teixeira Vitienes brandished a straight red card to Gerard Pique for a truly wild tackle after just 25 minutes against Getafe. On 90 minutes he gave a second yellow and sent off another player in blue and maroon, Rafa Marquez, and in the process awarded a penalty to El Geta, which former Madrid lad Roberto Soldado converted.
Despite having only nine players Barca still won 2-1. On this occasion the referee was spot on to send off the duo. Referees may get decisions horribly wrong. They may not be as good as some others, and the argument for video evidence is an argument for another day. But to question their bravery and to question their honour and neutrality just shows how utterly poor the judgement is of those who ask the question.
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