Media Wars: Barça and Real Madrid Clash Ahead of Clasico

While waiting for next April’s Clasico, the media war continues between Barça and Real Madrid. This Friday, Xavi, the technician of the Catalan club, denounced the pressure exerted “every week” on the referees by Real Madrid through his television channel. “I said that I don’t like that they try to influence the referees and that they do it every week, I don’t like that,” said Xavi at a press conference, who recalled that he would leave at the end of the season the Barça bench, well behind in the championship.

After 22 days, Real occupies the lead in La Liga with two points ahead of the Catalans Girona, and ten points ahead of Atlético Madrid (3rd) and Barça (4th). For several weeks, Real Madrid television has been broadcasting controversial programs that are very critical of refereeing. “I think it distorts the competition a little. The referees are conditioned, we see it,” said the Blaugrana coach.

Joan Laporta declared on Friday that “what Real Madrid Televisión is doing is a shame”. The Barça president notably criticized the refereeing of a recent Real Madrid match against Almeria, during which the Merengues, trailing 2-0, won 3-2 after three controversial VAR decisions. “It’s a shame what happened against Almeria. The whole world saw it and instead they say the referees favor Barcelona,” Laporta told RAC1 radio.

We are not fools

“I agree 100% with the president, it’s a reality,” Xavi stressed, recalling that Atlético coach Diego “Simeone said it, didn’t he? We don’t We’re not fools. Everyone can see that.” Asked about the publication of the VAR audio exchanges of the match between Real Madrid and Almería, Diego Simeone said that “what is important is not what they disclose but what is happening. They think that we We’re all fools and that’s what makes us angry.”

Xavi also returned to the Negreira affair, which is poisoning the Catalan club. Spanish justice is investigating payments made by FC Barcelona to the companies of Joaquín Negreira, who was the number two in Spanish arbitration for 25 years. “The Negreira affair didn’t help us at all and that’s how it is, it’s a reality. We have to face it,” admitted Xavi.

2024-02-02 17:31:00
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