La Liga President: No Penalty for Real Madrid, Where Was VAR?

La Liga president Javier Tebas has stated that Real Madrid should not have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Kylian Mbappe, which opened the scoring in their 1-0 lead against Santander on Sunday. The incident took place in the tenth minute when the referee pointed to the spot for a challenge on the French forward. Mbappe converted, and the visitors went on to secure a 3-0 victory.

"As a football fan, I don't think it was a penalty. The question remains for the Referees' Committee as to why VAR didn't step in when the mistake seemed obvious," Tebas remarked during the "World in Progress" international forum in Barcelona, which gathered political, academic, and business leaders.

He also expressed confidence in his position, emphasizing the strong support he receives from clubs across the league and brushing off pressure from the capital: "Real Madrid know very well that they cannot control Javier Tebas and that I don't do what they dictate."

The La Liga chief paid close attention to the strained relationship between Spain's two biggest clubs and their exploitation of ongoing legal battles: "The state of the relationship between Barcelona and Real Madrid worries me. Right now, everything comes down to one thing—stretching the Negreira case out for as long as possible. I consider that unacceptable. We are a party to the case ourselves and approached prosecutors before Real Madrid did. Real's president was on the board months after the scandal erupted and stated at a general assembly that the two clubs were friends because of the Super League. The moment Barca abandoned the project, everything changed."

According to Tebas, the continuous attacks on the Catalan club are unjustified at this stage: "Before, they seemed willing to let the courts do their job, but after the Super League withdrawal, it suddenly feels as though Negreira is in every referee's dressing room before a Madrid match. Barcelona will face their responsibility when the time comes, but the current aggressive campaign is excessive."

The league president also addressed his relationship with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, acknowledging the ups and downs in their dialogue while highlighting their professionalism regarding Financial Fair Play compliance. Tebas thanked the Catalan leader for his public backing, reaffirming that independence and fairness have always been his guiding principles.

Asked whether a potential sanction against Manchester City in England could set a precedent for the Negreira case, Tebas insisted the two matters have nothing in common. While the case involving the English champions is a civil arbitration proceeding outside the Premier League framework, Barcelona's situation involves criminal proceedings regarding sporting corruption.

Tebas also directed remarks at Jose Mourinho, who recently vented his frustration over the congested football calendar. The La Liga boss suggested the manager speak to Emilio Butragueno, pointing out that the Portuguese tactician is well-acquainted with packed schedules and 48-hour turnarounds from his time in English football.

Finally, Tebas provided reassurance regarding La Liga's partnership with China following comments made by Mbappe, affirming that institutional relations remain excellent and expressing readiness to travel to the Asian country if needed.