The war starts early: former referee exposes Mourinho and Real Madrid's plan ahead of the Clasico
Not protests, but a carefully considered strategy
Real Madrid's crisis with refereeing is no longer a matter of fleeting protests on the pitch. It has turned into a war of statements and a systematic strategy that is causing concern within the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Former international referee Iturralde Gonzalez has waded in with a blistering assessment, accusing Real Madrid's coaching staff, led by Jose Mourinho, of deliberately whipping up a charged atmosphere before, during and after every match.
Speaking on Spanish radio station "Cadena SER", Iturralde said: "This was already happening in my day. It is a strategy followed by Real Madrid's coaching staff to create tension before, during and after matches."
A calculated strategy
Tension between Real Madrid and the referees' committee is climbing at an unprecedented rate. The Royal club tear into refereeing decisions every single round, and fans and the media pile the pressure on the officials.
Iturralde, now a refereeing analyst, sees no coincidence in any of it. He reckons it is calculated work designed to entrench a stereotype that suits the club.
He explained: "They want to spread a false narrative and make their fans believe that they are wronged and that everyone is against Real Madrid."
The former referee added that the change in the behaviour of Real Madrid's players has become clear compared with last season, despite the absence of major changes in the squad.
He explained: "Real Madrid did not make major changes to their players between last year and this year, but they will all protest against every foul and every throw-in."
He noted: "It happened with Ancelotti, and Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa did not do it, but they do it with Mourinho. This has been studied and worked on."
Creating tension
Iturralde aimed the accusation straight at the Portuguese coach, calling him a specialist in this psychological game.
He said: "Mourinho is a professional at creating tension, and with the Negreira case still unresolved, the controversy grows. The Clasico is in two weeks' time, and we have a professional at creating tension like Mourinho. He did it in Portugal, Italy and England. He plays with these methods. This is nothing new."
That deliberate escalation, the refereeing analyst argued, is timed for the eagerly awaited Clasico. It also lands while the Negreira case rumbles on, casting a shadow over the integrity of Spanish refereeing and making every decision that bit more combustible.
A double concern
Journalist Javier Herraiz revealed that Real Madrid, on the day after the Villarreal match, remain convinced the refereeing was against them. He also pointed to genuine internal concern at the club about the team's technical level, which is not living up to expectations.
Broadcaster Anton Meana, presenter of the well-known programme "Carrusel", questioned Mourinho's real priorities in his new spell with Real Madrid, saying: "Mourinho came here so that Real Madrid would play better football, but also so that the Negreira case would remain a topic of daily discussion."
Meana concluded by offering direct advice to the Portuguese coach: "He should care more about how the team plays rather than how his team is refereed."
