Real Madrid's Playbook Is to Always Play the Victim, Hits Back La Liga Chief Javier Tebas

La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a fierce counter-offensive against Real Madrid's hierarchy following the club's official statement calling for his resignation. Tebas took to social media platform X to express his outrage, having earlier drawn parallels between the Madrid club's media strategy and Goebbels-style propaganda techniques.

Tensions between the two parties have escalated significantly following a string of grievances from Real Madrid regarding refereeing decisions, Vinicius Junior's four-match suspension, and the scheduling of league fixtures, notably the clash against Valencia.

"Real Madrid's leadership conducts an entire orchestra of spokespeople, with Real Madrid TV setting the tone. Their playbook never changes: cherry-pick convenient incidents, amplify a sense of injustice, fuel suspicion, and single out enemies. This approach mirrors Goebbels' propaganda mechanics—systematic repetition, crafting an enemy figure, and bending the facts to a pre-written narrative. My comparison refers strictly to these propaganda techniques, not to any ideology or the club's supporters," Tebas stressed.

The head of Spanish football went on to accuse the club's official channel of deliberately swaying public opinion and distorting the broader picture of the competition:

"Real Madrid TV is a key cog in this machine. Where is the comprehensive review of every round of fixtures? Where are the errors that hurt other teams, or those that work in Real Madrid's favour? Putting every match under the same microscope would ruin their script, which demands that Real Madrid must always play the victim. It is the exact same story with kickoff times: they only highlight what makes them look aggrieved while concealing the wider context."

Tebas also addressed the fairness of fixture scheduling, pointing out that the capital club has had more date-change requests granted than anyone else:

"How many requests to reschedule dates and kickoff times has Real Madrid submitted, and how many were approved? They are comfortably top of that table. Let us make the granted requests public, not just the ones used to stir up yet another controversy. It would also be worthwhile to include requests linked to non-sporting events at the Santiago Bernabéu. When it comes to tailoring the league around their needs, their proactivity is admirable, but when it is time to acknowledge the compromises made for them, their memory fades very quickly."

"It is unreasonable to demand changes to dates and times and then portray any refusal as proof that La Liga is deliberately harming the club. If we are going to discuss fairness, let us lay out the entire truth. A request does not become an entitlement simply because it comes from Real Madrid, nor does a rejection equate to persecution. La Liga's duty is to protect its competition."

Regarding the calls for his resignation, the La Liga chief remained defiant, branding it another attempt to pressure the governing body: "Over the past thirteen years, I have lost count of how many times Real Madrid's hierarchy has demanded my resignation or tried to unseat me through appeals to the Higher Sports Council and criminal lawsuits. Today's demand is merely the latest chapter. What is still missing are answers. This entire approach has a clear name: intimidation."

"They confuse neutrality with independence. My role demands independence, not submission to unfairness or silence in the face of relentless, excessive, and insulting attacks on our league from Real Madrid TV. The president of La Liga has an obligation to defend the competition, including from Real Madrid's directors."

Tebas also turned his attention to Madrid's stance on the 'Negreira case', recalling recent history between Spain's two biggest clubs: "La Liga took action from day one regarding the Negreira case. Repeating claims that we were passive will not make them true. Let us instead look at their own passivity: Florentino Perez sat on the federation's board for months. According to Relevo, his resignation and Laporta's from the Board of Directors were submitted on the exact same day—30 October 2023."

"Furthermore, at the General Assembly in November 2024, when asked about cutting ties with Barca, he replied: 'Barca and Real must help each other. Why should we fight?' That was less than two years ago. What has changed since? Why did this sudden escalation coincide precisely with Barcelona stepping away from the Super League project? Did the gravity of the facts change, or simply their personal interests?"

Where was the outrage from Real Madrid TV back then? If the club's board is convinced that referees are still acting under Negreira's influence eight years after payments ceased, the question remains: what tangible evidence do they possess against individual officials? There are no formal complaints filed with national bodies, UEFA, or FIFA. Demanding accountability from Barcelona does not constitute evidence against specific referees, and video compilations cannot replace hard facts. Singling out individual officials is utterly irresponsible.

Progress has already been made regarding refereeing reform, though more work lies ahead. The process could move faster and go further, but sports governing bodies cannot operate solely on the whims, moods, form, or shifting relations with Barcelona dictated by Real Madrid's directors. Such structural reforms cannot ignore the other clubs and the overwhelming majority of the league, as reform does not mean blind subservience.

The ultimate goal behind these attacks appears to be undermining the domestic league. What could not be achieved through the Super League project is now being pursued via media spin from the club's official channels and their allies. These assaults on the integrity of the tournament are disguised as a push for change, but they merely damage the prestige of the competition.

Recent leaks attributed to club sources comparing Tebas to Negreira, or accusing La Liga of intentionally targeting the club through scheduling, warrant a clear denial if untrue. The issue is not who pays journalists' salaries, but whether their talking points reflect the official stance of the boardroom.

For absolute transparency, the full figures should be disclosed: how many fixture adjustments were requested, how many were granted, and how many were arranged around events at the Bernabéu. Approved requests are part of the record, even if they contradict the prevailing narrative.

Acting in good faith means correcting false claims, clarifying facts, and presenting complete information. Demanding resignations, disciplinary actions, and orchestrating public outcries are well-worn tactics, as is weaponising a club's fanbase against targeted figures.

Criticism of club directors should never be conflated with attacks on the institution itself or its supporters. Relentless pressure and the public targeting of individuals amount to intimidation, which cannot be justified—even through official club statements.