Spain's refereeing technical committee are worried. Tension over officiating keeps building ahead of the Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the Spanish capital club and those around it still taking aim at match officials.
Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo report that the mood has already begun to sour with the Clasico two weeks away. Barcelona host Real Madrid at the Camp Nou, where Hansi Flick's side sit top with a six-point cushion over Jose Mourinho's team. A sporting crisis has pushed Madrid and those close to the club towards constant talk of refereeing, a theme that has been recurring for a long time.
Referees have complained about it time and again, and nothing has changed. That much was obvious before, during and after Real Madrid's hard-fought home win over Villarreal. Refereeing controversy dominated the game, Vinicius Junior was sent off for pulling Saliba's hair, and Mourinho was unhappy enough to skip his post-match media duties.
Cadena SER, through its programme El Larguero, say refereeing circles are already dreading the Clasico and expect the tension to ramp up over the coming weeks.
Every level of the refereeing structure is uneasy about the atmosphere around Real Madrid's games, whether inside the club, in the stands, through the media or in the various circles surrounding the team.
The technical committee suspect the next fortnight will only make things worse, with Madrid convinced referees deliberately rule against them and the Clasico looming. Officials fear the hostility will keep climbing. They have no idea when it ends, or how.