New referee consultant defends Real Madrid fandom in letter

The new members of the refereeing body in Spain, the Technical Referees Committee (CTA), were presented on Monday by newly appointed president of the CTA Francisco Soto Balirac, and it has not taken long for controversy to rear its head. Chema Alonso was appointed as a consultant for innovation in technology and AI, but seemingly is an avid Real Madrid fan.

At least that is what a series of social media posts from Alonso over the last 15 years up until as recently as 2023 would suggest, but Alonso has come out to defend himself with an open letter, as recounted by Marca. He both played down his feelings for Real Madrid, and distanced himself from any material importance in the CTA.

Role in the CTA

Alonso did distance himself from any material influence over refereeing, how the technology is designed to evaluate refereeing performance, and indeed how referees are designated, which is the main job of the committee he is on. His role will be strictly advisory.

“I’m just here to advise Francisco Soto on his committee with his team on technology. It’s very clear that I’m an ‘Advisor’ and not a ‘Responsible Person’.”

“All of these technological projects are being led by Sportian from La Liga, so they’re the ones creating all the algorithms and all the AI. In other words, I only have to assist the CTA so they can make a judgment and ensure they feel comfortable that the technology they develop meets the quality criteria.”

He reasoned that he will not be shouldering the blame for any mistakes in big matches as a result.

“I’m not going to touch VAR even remotely, and my job is merely to advise in meetings about AI and technology, which is the work other teams are doing. If VAR or the referees make a mistake… you’ll have to look for the culprit elsewhere, while I’ll be watching TV.”

Official: Como is Barcelona’s rival for the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 10th. @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/x7UG47jnPy

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 22, 2025

Alonso: ‘I’m a fan of Real Atletico Madrid’

The former hacker and cybersecurity expert, who works for Telefonica, also reasoned that his Real Madrid ties are not as strong as they once were.

“I don’t watch more than ten or twelve games a year (I don’t even have the football package on my TV anymore; I watch them socially with friends) and of course it makes me happy when Real Madrid wins.”

Alonso explains that his daughter’s love for Atletico Madrid has also made him sympathetic to Los Rojiblancos – which will do little to placate the group most perplexed by Alonso’s appointment, Barcelona and their fans.

“Then life rewarded me with a daughter who is a Real Madrid fan and an ultra-anti-Madrid fan of Atletico Madrid, who, to teach her how to write, I always had to call her ‘Aupa Atleti,’ because when she was very little she always said ‘Gopa Atleti.’ So I’m also an Atletico Madrid fan. ‘Real Atletico Madrid,’ which I say a lot. Yes, I know that for many it’s anathema, but I’m not that much of a fan, and seeing my little daughter happy is priceless, and if it’s Atletico Madrid – Getafe, even better.”

🚨🇺🇸 JUST IN: Johnny Cardoso has decided to cut his vacation short and will be joining the team in the coming hours.

The player is eager to get started with Atlético Madrid and start training under Diego Simeone as soon as possible.@mundodeportivo pic.twitter.com/gnSDzXGUoz

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) July 22, 2025

While Atletico do not share the same rivalry with Barcelona that Los Blancos do, Los Rojiblancos are traditionally not very fond of the Catalan side either. Barcelona were said be ‘baffled’ by the choices made by the new CTA president, with a former Real Madrid player on the committee, and the wife of Real Madrid delegate Yolanda Parga in charge of Liga F refereeing.

Chema Alonso’s full open letter

I’m not an employee of the RFEF or the CTA. I’m just an external advisor to lend assistance in committee meetings on these issues. But some have thought that this means I’m going to decide on the VAR technology or the AI technology that will referee the football matches of the future. Not at all. I’m just here to advise Francisco Soto on his committee with his team on technology. It’s very clear that I’m an ‘Advisor’ and not a ‘Responsible Person’.

All of these technological projects are being led by Sportian from La Liga, so they’re the ones creating all the algorithms and all the AI. In other words, I only have to assist the CTA so they can make a judgment and ensure they feel comfortable that the technology they develop meets the quality criteria.

My role is to help prepare technology meetings, attend committee meetings, and little else. The responsibility for VAR, referee assignment, referee evaluation, and so on remains with the people and professionals within the CTA and the RFEF. And I’m happy to help them better understand the technology. And nothing more.

In the end, I don’t watch more than ten or twelve games a year (I don’t even have the football package on my TV anymore; I watch them socially with friends) and of course it makes me happy when Real Madrid wins.

Then life rewarded me with a daughter who is a Real Madrid fan and an ultra-anti-Madrid fan of Atletico Madrid, who, to teach her how to write, I always had to call her ‘Aupa Atleti,’ because when she was very little she always said ‘Gopa Atleti.’ So I’m also an Atletico Madrid fan. ‘Real Atletico Madrid,’ which I say a lot. Yes, I know that for many it’s anathema, but I’m not that much of a fan, and seeing my little daughter happy is priceless, and if it’s Atletico Madrid – Getafe, even better.

I enjoy watching important football matches, but more so the gossip of arguing with colleagues and arguing. I know so many statistics, I love arguing about them. One day, my Barca friends and I were thrown out of a bar in Barcelona for arguing about the the Barsa of the academy players squad. That said, we had a good laugh.

I’m not going to touch VAR even remotely, and my job is merely to advise in meetings about AI and technology, which is the work other teams are doing. If VAR or the referees make a mistake… you’ll have to look for the culprit elsewhere, while I’ll be watching TV.