Real Madrid closed out the season with a deep sense of frustration over the refereeing decisions they received, especially during the second half of the campaign. Controversial moments, such as a player who went on to score the winning goal not being sent off in the match against Espanyol, or the alleged invented insult by Jude Bellingham that led to a red card against Osasuna, have left a bitter taste at Valdebebas.

These tensions have coincided with a shift in Spanish football’s leadership. Elections at the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have ushered in a new era, including a revamp of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

On Wednesday, the new refereeing leadership was formally introduced, with Francisco Soto named as president. Soto chose not to comment on the Negreira case, and instead opened his remarks by calling Spanish refereeing “the best in the world”—this despite the fact that no Spanish referee is currently selected for major UEFA or FIFA tournaments.

Journalist Ramón Álvarez de Mon stirred up debate on social media, posting: "I’m told Francisco Soto is a Barcelona fan, but I honestly don’t care about that. What matters is that he’s honest and brings transparency to the CTA.”

Still, the suggestion that Soto may be a Barcelona supporter has raised eyebrows—especially at Real Madrid, where suspicion towards the refereeing establishment runs deep.

As of now, Real Madrid remains the only major Spanish club publicly and consistently voicing its concerns about the officiating system, and not without reason, given past incidents. Time will tell whether this new CTA administration brings true change or if the status quo remains, continuing to favor the same familiar sides.

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