A few weeks after taking over as president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following the Rubiales scandal, Rafael Louzán has just revealed a discussion he had with Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, regarding refereeing in Spain.
This is one revelation that is sure to make headlines in Spain in the coming days. Appointed as the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Rafael Louzán has several pressing matters on his desk. Beyond the major conflicts that need resolving in Spanish football, the new head of the governing body must also deal with growing discontent over refereeing in the country. Every weekend in La Liga, the men in black come under harsh criticism due to controversial officiating performances.
Rafael Louzán’s explosive revelations
In this tense atmosphere, the successor to Luis Rubiales—who was ousted following the infamous kiss incident involving a female national team player—made a shocking confession regarding Florentino Pérez and a discussion they had about refereeing. Real Madrid, a club that has been at the centre of refereeing debates, has demanded deep changes or even a complete overhaul of the refereeing commission within the Federation to put an end to controversial officiating. Believing that his club has been suffering for months, Pérez has not hesitated to put pressure on Rafael Louzán.
Unfazed, the new RFEF president confided in Josep Pedrerol during an interview on El Cafelito, which will be available this Thursday at 3:30 PM on YouTube, Facebook, iVoox, and Spotify, about the core of his conversation with the Real Madrid boss. “When I became president, Florentino Pérez pulled me aside and said: ‘We need to sort out this refereeing issue that is hurting us. We have lost many titles because of the referees,’” Louzán revealed, before adding: “Florentino once told me: ‘I will bring in English referees to officiate.’”
“Florentino keeps bringing up the Negreira case”
During the rest of his conversation with Pedrerol, Rafael Louzán, who claims to have a good relationship with the Real Madrid president, criticised the way Pérez has been pressuring him to resolve an issue that has existed for years, particularly in connection with the Negreira case involving FC Barcelona. “I have a good relationship with Florentino Pérez. The problem is that Florentino clearly states that he feels disadvantaged in terms of refereeing. I told him: ‘Look, I’ve just arrived. We should reset the situation and try to reach an understanding in one way or another.’”
Speaking about the Negreira case, which exposed questionable dealings between the Catalan club, Real Madrid’s biggest rival, and several La Liga referees, Louzán confirmed that Florentino Pérez repeatedly brings it up. “From time to time, Florentino reminds me of the Negreira case and tells me: ‘Sort out the Negreira case and all of this.’ I reply that it is the justice system that is responsible for resolving the issue. What exactly am I supposed to resolve?” Since the release of this interview, reactions have been pouring in across Spain.
Is Florentino Pérez right to call for change?
On social media, Catalan and Atlético Madrid fans have strongly criticised the Real Madrid president’s approach. According to critics, Florentino Pérez is allegedly pressuring referees to favour his team. However, based on Louzán’s statements, it is clear that the 77-year-old president, recently re-elected for another four years, simply wants an end to corrupt practices in La Liga. For months now, every weekend, referees have delivered disastrous performances.
Whether in Real Madrid matches or those involving Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Getafe, or any other La Liga club, controversial decisions—many of which could have been avoided thanks to VAR—continue to pile up. With so much evidence, Rafael Louzán should launch a major initiative in Spain to bring clubs and referees together and take necessary action to correct the situation. Today, referees have lost the trust of many clubs in Spain due to their inconsistent performances week after week. Florentino Pérez has every right to demand change.
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