The Referees’ Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has officially rejected Real Madrid’s request to access the audio recordings from the VAR system during their recent La Liga match against Espanyol.
Earlier, Real Madrid had sent an official letter to the RFEF, outlining their frustration over several controversial refereeing decisions that occurred during their 1-0 loss to Espanyol in the latest round of La Liga fixtures.
đźš« Referees’ Committee Responds to Real Madrid’s Request
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has refused to send the VAR audio recordings related to a foul by Carlos Romero on Kylian Mbappé, which only resulted in a yellow card for the Espanyol player.
The report adds that if Real Madrid wishes to listen to the recordings, they must formally request a meeting with the committee and attend the RFEF headquarters in person. This is the standard procedure that has been followed with other clubs in the past who made similar requests.
đź“„ What Did Real Madrid Request?
In their detailed letter to the Spanish Football Federation and the Spanish Sports Council, Real Madrid explicitly demanded the immediate release of the VAR audio exchanges between the on-field referee and the VAR officials concerning the two most controversial incidents from their match against Espanyol:
- Carlos Romero’s challenge on Kylian MbappĂ©, where Romero was only shown a yellow card, despite Madrid feeling it deserved harsher punishment.
- A disallowed goal by VinĂcius JĂşnior in the first half, which was ruled out due to a foul committed by MbappĂ© in the build-up—another decision that infuriated the Madrid camp.
❌ Why Did the Referees’ Committee Reject the Request?
Mundo Deportivo reports that the Referees’ Committee firmly rejected Real Madrid’s request, citing that sharing VAR audio recordings directly with clubs is strictly prohibited.
However, the committee clarified that if Madrid wishes to listen to the recordings, they must:
- Request an official meeting with the Technical Referees’ Committee.
- Attend the meeting in person at the RFEF headquarters.
- Review the recordings in a controlled setting during the meeting.
This protocol has been consistently followed for all clubs that have previously requested access to VAR communications.
⚠️ Growing Tensions Between Real Madrid and La Liga Officials
This incident further highlights the ongoing tensions between Real Madrid and Spanish football authorities regarding refereeing decisions. The club has been increasingly vocal about what it perceives as unfair treatment, especially in high-stakes matches.
While Real Madrid’s demands were denied, the situation adds fuel to the debate over transparency in VAR decisions in La Liga.
