LaLiga president Javier Tebas responded this Friday to Carlo Ancelotti's statements, in which the coach criticized the refereeing system and demanded explanations regarding the VAR audio following the controversy in the Copa del Rey match against Leganés. Tebas assured that the Spanish competition "is not rigged" and reminded that Real Madrid was part of the RFEF Board of Directors until November 2023 without voicing any complaints about refereeing at that time.

"Carlo, stay calm… The Spanish competition is not rigged. We all want improvements in the refereeing organization, and we have been demanding them for a long time. That being said, it’s curious that Real Madrid, which is so concerned now, was part of the RFEF Board of Directors until November 2023… and didn’t say a word," Tebas wrote on social media.

Additionally, the LaLiga president questioned the club’s role in this debate, pointing out that despite the Negreira case being known for months, Madrid did not make any concrete proposals either to the RFEF or LaLiga. He also criticized Real Madrid TV for its stance on referees, calling its analyses biased.

Tebas did not stop there and also mocked the theory that LaLiga’s ownership model has become a "seizure." "The excuse of the change in ownership model and the supposed 'seizure' of LaLiga is not even believed by 'tato'. Could this be just another excuse? Because we have already heard this theory from some mouthpieces," he added in his message.

Tebas' statements came after Ancelotti, in his pre-match press conference, insisted on the need to clarify what happened with VAR and improve the system. "Tebas can rest assured because nobody here has lost their mind. We are simply asking for explanations to clarify what happened and to change a system that nobody is happy with," said the Italian coach.

The exchange of statements between Tebas and Ancelotti further fuels the tension between Real Madrid and LaLiga, in a context where refereeing decisions and the use of VAR continue to spark controversy in Spanish football.