‘Biggest scandal in recent years’ – Real Madrid to double down on pressuring referees after Valencia draw

Real Madrid believe that referee Jesus Gil Manzano’s decision to blow his whistle for full-time before it reached the head of Jude Bellingham is the biggest scandal in recent years, apparently eclipsing the Negreira corruption investigation.

That is according to Marca, who say that internally Real Madrid’s fury has not dulled with the passing of the last 36 hours, believe that the decision justifies their strategy of pressuring referees. While they know that ‘nothing can close the wound’, they will raise their voice in outrage at what they perceive to be biased treatment against them. Their aim is to force a major change in the refereeing body following what they feel is a moment that will go down in history.

Given that the Referees Committee (CTA) had been confident of Gil Manzano’s abilities as one of their best referees, Real Madrid feel this is evidence of the incompetence or unjust treatment towards Los Blancos. Gil Manzano being dropped, or ‘put in the fridge’ for a week, will not quell their outcry.

This comes a week after Sevilla submitted a formal complaint about Real Madrid TV, who have been pressuring referees with weekly hit pieces on the individual officials. This has been a consistent feature of this season, and has sparked the ire of other clubs, but the White House considers the events at Mestalla to be further motivation and justification to continue their public pressure of officials.

Of course, Real Madrid actually benefitted from Gil Manzano making the decision to blow the whistle for the end of the half in 2017, as Malaga scored from a set piece. Saturday night’s draw against Valencia seems like to stoke the fires of public battle between Spain’s most powerful footballing institution and the Spanish