Barcelona manager Hansi Flick fumes over referee drama in La Liga

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has told off Spanish football for their treatment of officials, in a week where an investigation was opened into a referee following controversial calls that Real Madrid felt were against them. The German coach asked for the players and manager to protect referees, ‘as we can’t play without them.’

The week in Spanish football has been dominated once again by refereeing controversy, after Real Madrid railed against a sending off for Jude Bellingham, and complained of penalties not given. Alaves and Real Sociedad also expressed dismay at officiating in their games against Leganes and Real Betis respectively.

“It is very important to have referees. What they are doing with the referees in Spain is unbelievable. I don’t like it. We have to think about the families. We as players and managers have to protect them too. I don’t like to use energy against the referees,” Flick said unprompted and defiantly.

“We have the VAR and we have to trust them. You have to change things, because they are human and it is normal to make mistakes. The Federation must show how strong they are, because it’s important. Players and coaches also make mistakes, and we must protect them.”

Official: Barcelona will be facing Benfica in the Champions League round of 16.

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The referee during Real Madrid-Osasuna, Jose Luis Munuera Montero, then found himself the centre of an investigation for a potential conflict of interest with his business interests, which he has since been cleared of. Few viewed the fact that he had been involved in controversy with Real Madrid just days before as a coincidence, least of all Atletico Madrid.

Flick was also asked about the fact that Bellingham received the same suspension for telling Munuera to ‘f*** off’ as he did for throwing his hand in the air in November.

“I don’t have to say anything about this. In the last press conference I said something about Bellingham. He is a great player, one of the best in his position. He is not my player and I don’t have to say anything about this. What matters to me is my team on the field, that’s what I want to see.”

When asked what it was that had annoyed him precisely about the officiating discourse, Flick said that discourse about officials was purely an excuse, and that winning or losing did not come down to them.

“We always look for excuses. If we lose it’s because of the referees and it’s not like that. We all make mistakes, I make them, you make them, even the referees. We have to protect the referees because we can’t play without them. We have to protect them. We have to play better to win.”

Flick’s side face Las Palmas at 21:00 CEST on Saturday night in Gran Canaria, and will then welcome Atletico Madrid to Montjuic the following week. The RFEF have made moves towards reform in the officiating, but Real Madrid’s voice will not be a strong one in those discussions.