Real Madrid’s RMTV Broadcasts ‘17 Referees’ Claim Ahead of Clasico

Real Madrid’s official television channel has accused Barcelona players of acting as additional match officials, broadcasting a segment that claims the club will face “17 referees” when the two teams meet at Camp Nou on October 25.

RMTV aired the commentary days before both clubs return to UEFA Champions League action. The broadcast focused on officiating rather than tactics or roster changes, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The animosity between Barcelona and Real Madrid continues. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

State-controlled or club-owned media channels have long functioned as pressure valves in Spanish football. RMTV’s latest programming block specifically targeted an incident involving Pedri and Lamine Yamal during Barcelona’s recent match against Real Betis. The two players appealed for a handball review leading up to a Giovani Lo Celso goal, prompting referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea to tell his VAR team: “Check the handball, that’s what they’re asking me to do.”

The RMTV host used that exchange to draw a contrast with European competition. “We’re on the verge of the best competition in the world, the Champions League. There’s no dirty tricks or foul play here. And I’m sure the Leipzig players aren’t going to ask the referee to review VAR like the Barça players did in Seville,” the program stated.

Are the odds stacked against Mourinho’s men. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The broadcast escalated from there. It alleged a double standard in how La Liga officials manage player interactions on the pitch. “Now the Barça players are the new referees and they demand VAR on demand. When our players approach the referee, they’re kept away, but the Barça players have free rein,” the segment claimed.

The rhetoric culminated in a direct warning about the upcoming fixture. “That’s why next Sunday we’ll be facing 17 referees: those on the pitch, those in VAR, and the 11 Barcelona players,” the show concluded. Jose Mourinho currently manages the squad heading into that weekend clash.

Public lobbying through institutional media is a documented tactic in Spain. Clubs routinely use their communication apparatuss to influence refereeing narratives ahead of high-stakes matches, a practice that intensified following the collapse of the European Super League project, which fractured relations between several elite organizations.

Barcelona is currently preparing for a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. Real Madrid plays RB Leipzig tomorrow night.