• Exclusive KPMG warned Barça that Laporta raised payments to Negreira by 102%

Spanish football is still on a war footing and referees have been the last to build a trench. The arbitration group, at the center of the controversy during the last weeks by the investigation of the Prosecutor's Office on the payments of FC Barcelona to the number 2 of the CTA, Enríquez Negreira, has issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing "the unbreathable climate" and "the violence against the referees" that has been generated this season.

"From the professional arbitration of Spanish football we want to transfer our deep concern for the unfortunate situation that has been generated around the group we represent and that is promoted and promoted from different fronts of professional football in what we consider a perfectly measured and organized campaign," criticize the referees, focusing their complaint on LaLiga.

"We regret the permanent attacks by La Liga and its main leaders. The video released by its director of Competitions, Luis Gil, trying to point out and ridicule the refereeing proceedings, is another example of the interest of La Liga in generating an unbreathable climate towards our collective, sowing doubt about our decisions and undermining refereeing professionalism. Therefore, the referees of the First and Second Division ask La Liga and its leaders for respect and institutional responsibility in the face of an unprecedented event in Spanish football."

In that video, LaLiga defended that the players "are not more aggressive" and put the focus on the referees, assuring, in the voice of Luis Gil, that "the Spanish arbitration has modified its criteria in relation to expulsions, both in Spanish football and in European competitions. "

According to the referees, "the leaders of La Liga collaborate to generate a reputational crisis of Spanish football through a call for tension and violence against referees in a maneuver that only leads to the devaluation of our football and its social discredit."

The referees wanted to insist that "the CTA does not appoint the referees", explaining that "it is done by a body called CACP (Designation Committee) where a member of the RFEF, a member of La Liga and another member of designation by common agreement or, if it does not exist, by the CSD ". And they wanted to make clear "our autonomy", "for the good of refereeing and football".

Finally, the arbitration group asks for "reflection" to "not have to adopt drastic emergency measures that would have a direct impact on our competition", in clear reference to a strike of the estate.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Learn more