La Liga Daily Report - 2026-09-22: Real Madrid demand Tebas’s removal after refereeing dispute

Real Madrid called for Javier Tebas to be removed as La Liga president on Tuesday after his criticism of the club’s refereeing complaints. Tebas had rejected claims of an officiating conspiracy following Madrid’s 2-1 defeat by Atlético Madrid on Sunday, saying that allegations referees were directed against Real were “living in another galaxy”. Madrid responded by describing Tebas’s conduct as “intolerable” and arguing that the league president had repeatedly used his institutional position to attack the club. The dispute followed José Mourinho’s post-match criticism of referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias and his presentation of printed images showing incidents he believed warranted Atlético red cards.

The confrontation has widened from a derby refereeing argument into a direct challenge to the leadership of Spanish professional football. Real said La Liga required a leader committed to neutrality and to serving its member clubs, while Tebas argued that conspiracy claims distracted from Madrid’s performances on the pitch. The row has added institutional tension to a season in which Mourinho’s side already suffered a second league defeat and sat fourth, six points behind Barcelona after seven matches. The refereeing debate is therefore continuing beyond the original result, with both the club and league president publicly defending their positions.

Barcelona had won all seven of their La Liga matches by Tuesday, scoring 31 goals and conceding seven. Hansi Flick’s side took a perfect 21 points into the international break and also opened their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 victory over Feyenoord. Their domestic start placed the defending champions at the top of the early table and made them the clear benchmark among the title contenders. The team’s attacking form has been particularly striking, with Raphinha, Fermín López and Lamine Yamal among the players highlighted during an opening sequence that has produced confidence around the Camp Nou.

Diego Simeone offered an unusually emphatic assessment after Atlético’s derby victory, saying Barcelona appeared to be playing a different sport from the one his team was playing. Raphinha’s contribution has been central to that impression: he scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 win at Sevilla on Saturday, having also scored three times in the midweek 7-2 victory over Racing Santander. The Brazilian had 12 La Liga goals in seven matches and 14 in all competitions, while Barcelona had won all eight competitive games. That combination of results and output has set an early pace their rivals must match.

Barcelona members approved a further €510 million loan on Saturday to help complete the Camp Nou redevelopment and support the club’s operations. The borrowing included €300 million for construction and €210 million for operational needs, taking the club’s projected total debt beyond €2 billion and potentially as high as €2.6 billion. The Espai Barça project’s budget has reached €1.8 billion, around three times the figure discussed when the redevelopment was first proposed in 2014. The financial decision came as the club continued its strong start on the pitch, but it placed the long-term cost of the stadium project firmly back at the centre of Barcelona’s affairs.

Vice-president Ferran Olivé said the first team would complete the 2026-27 season at Camp Nou before leaving the stadium for around half of 2027-28. Barcelona hoped to return in January 2028, making the next phase of the rebuild a significant logistical as well as financial undertaking. The additional borrowing is intended to finish the works, but the scale of the commitment leaves the club managing a substantial debt burden alongside sporting ambitions. The project remains central to Barcelona’s future plans, while the temporary move away from their home will affect the club’s matchday operations during the following campaign.

Javier Aguirre was reportedly appointed Valencia’s new head coach on Tuesday after the club’s poor start to the La Liga season. Spanish outlet Marca and Mexican media reported that the Mexican coach had accepted the role, although Valencia had not officially announced the appointment in the report. Aguirre was expected to arrive in Valencia on Thursday after leaving his position as Mexico manager following the national team’s last-16 World Cup exit. His initial contract was reported to run until the end of June next year, with an option for a further season subject to performance conditions.

The return would bring Aguirre back to La Liga after two years and give him the task of steering a crisis-hit Valencia away from relegation danger. He had reportedly chosen Paul Lorente and Tony Amore as assistant coaches, having worked with both previously. The appointment also carried a personal link to Lee Kang-in, whom Aguirre regards as a football son; the South Korean is now an Atlético Madrid player and featured in the refereeing controversy surrounding Sunday’s derby. Valencia’s immediate priority is a change in results, with Aguirre expected to provide experience during a difficult campaign.