'Handing out imaginary cards' - La Liga president goes on another spectacular rant over 'wet dream' claim by ex-referee

Tebas once again proved he’s never one to back down from controversy, responding sharply to a provocative comment from a former referee who claimed it is the La Liga president's "wet dream" to control refereeing. His latest retort adds to a long list of feuds that have kept him firmly in the spotlight throughout his tenure.

Appearing on the Cadena SER's El Larguero radio program, former referee Iturralde Gonzalez was scathing in his criticism of Tebas regarding the issue of referee appointments by the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA). 

"We don't just get out of one and into the other. Tebas's wet dream has always been to control refereeing," said Gonzalez. "The same Tebas who said referees had to be independent... Lie. Those who want referee independence? Lie. What they want is to control it. Being a referee is one of the professions with the least credibility, which is why what they want to do is control it.

"LaLiga pays the RFEF a fee for refereeing services, and since they pay, they believe they have the right to control it. If he could, Tebas would put a machine to referee tomorrow. He has never wanted independent refereeing. In fact, if it were up to him, they wouldn't be paid what they are. This is what we've reached because of the fight of the referees themselves. They hate refereeing and all they want is to control it. We're going from bad to worse." 

Taking to X, Tebas posted a long tirade in response to Gonzalez's words. He said: "Iturralde has done it again!  

"He says my "wet dream" is to control refereeing. What depth, what a level of debate. One would think that after so many years without a whistle, you would have reinvented yourself... but no: you’re still refereeing in your head and handing out imaginary cards to anyone who doesn’t parrot your narrative.  

"For the record: my wet dream (since you’re so interested) is independent, professional refereeing, without shocks or scandals… you know, the complete opposite of what you experienced for years, or do you remember what the refereeing community itself called the "corruption index"?  

"The curious thing is that those who shout the loudest about “wanting to control” are the ones who were on the inside (keeping a complicit silence) while others were truly controlling it. Sometimes the subconscious betrays you.  

"You keep chasing headlines, while I’ll keep working to make Spanish football function without favors, without corruption indices, and without nostalgia for a past that some still idealize… for reasons we all know."

Refereeing in Spain has become a controversial topic in recent years. In response to the criticism, the RFEF dismissed the entire refereeing committee back in June. A major shake-up and a structural reform, demanded by the clubs themselves, aimed at improving the quality of officiating in Spain has already been set in motion.