Tebas: Real Madrid apply harsh pressure on referees, and they did not lose the derby because of these decisions
The controversy continues after the Real Madrid defeat
Javier Tebas has waded into the refereeing row that followed the Madrid derby between Atletico and Real, offering his verdict on the complaints from the Whites and Jose Mourinho once the final whistle had blown.
The La Liga president said he understood the protests but rejected the way they were made: "I understand the matter of the complaints, but I do not accept the manner at all."
According to Spanish newspaper "As", Tebas was blunt about how far referee Ortiz Arias' decisions actually shaped the result.
He ran through some of the most contentious incidents before delivering his verdict: "Real Madrid did not lose because of those moments."
One by one, Tebas picked apart the refereeing calls at the heart of the protests.
Dean Huijsen's dismissal left him in no doubt: "That play by Huijsen is a certain red card."
Cristian Romero's challenge on Bellingham drew a different response. It was one of the incidents that sparked appeals during the game, and the La Liga president reckoned it did not warrant a sending off: "The other incident no, it was not a red card. It was clear that he touched the ball first."
The third flashpoint was Kang-in Lee's heavy challenge on Valverde. The South Korean caught the Real Madrid man's ankle with the sole of his boot, Ortiz Arias awarded a foul without producing a card, and the video technology stayed out of it.
Tebas conceded the incident was open to interpretation: "It could be given as a red card, and it may look like a red card, and if it had been given as such nothing would have happened. And if it was not given, then the play was so fast that I understand what happened and that is the end of it."
Attention then turned to Atletico Madrid's social media post under the slogan "Stop the refereeing intimidation now". Tebas admitted he had not seen the tweet, but seized the chance to revisit the league's stance on Real Madrid's channel: "I have not seen the tweet. We reported some time ago the conduct of Real Madrid's channel, and after what happened yesterday, we must continue to hold on to ethics. It is an unfair and harsh way to put pressure on the referee."
