Is Refereeing Damaging The Entertainment Factor Of LaLiga?

LaLiga has continued to fight against the likes of the Premier League and the Bundesliga for the role of European soccer’s most entertaining league, but this season has found itself up against an unexpected opponent: its own referees.

It comes amid a crisis which has seen the number of red cards shown to players in LaLiga sky rocket and add to political tension between LaLiga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), who are responsible for the appointment and management of referees.

Over the last five seasons, LaLiga’s average was 0.21 red cards per 90 minutes of soccer. That was in line with this season’s figures for other leagues. But this season, it has increased to 0.40 as LaLiga has seen 113 red cards, more than the German, English and Italian leagues combined. France’s Ligue 1 shows higher numbers, with 85, but still some way off Spain’s tally.

However, it is not just domestically. In European competitions too, Spanish referees have become more card-happy. In the Champions League, they have gone from 0.11 red cards per 90 over the last five season to 0.29 in 2022/23, and in the Europa League the average was the same between 2017 and 2022 at 0.11, but has now jumped to 0.44.

The issue has become so problematic that even LaLiga have taken to putting out statements on the issue via their corporate social media channels. “Spanish referees have changed their criteria for dismissals,” Luis Gil, LaLiga’s Director of Competitions states.

Action being taken

Throughout the course of the 2022/23 campaign, several clubs have put out statements to criticise refereeing appointments. Atlético Madrid, Sevilla and Cádiz have emitted some of the harshest official statements, while Real Madrid have used their official television channel RMTV to highlight controversial decisions from referees in past fixtures before matches.

It comes at a time when Barcelona are currently involved in investigations into alleged payments to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice president of the Technical Refereeing Committee.

Atlético Madrid’s President, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, has put forward a proposal to avoid revealing which referees would be in charge of which match until only a few hours before kick-off. The matter could go to a vote among clubs.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has pushed for management of officials to be passed from the RFEF over to LaLiga, so that it can protect itself from “damage to its reputation”. However, Spain’s new Sports Law, passed only early this year, would prohibit such a change.

In defence of referees

There has been a stance of defence from some quarters, stating that Spanish referees are reacting to an increase in aggression and that their firm refereeing is what has led to LaLiga having the fewest injuries among Europe’s top five leagues.

Having ranked third for injuries as recently as last season, this campaign there have been fewer injuries than in any other of European soccer’s top five leagues.

Those seeking to protect officials in Spain claim that such changes are a direct consequence of Spain’s lower tolerance policy in refereeing. Whoever may be right, the approach has sparked a debate which could still rumble on for some time in Spanish soccer.