Real Madrid launches campaign against Barcelona over allegations of referee fixation, says they were saved from ‘bankruptcy’ 3 times

It might come as a surprise to some as Real Madrid has long been known as the favorite team of General Franco.

Real Madrid launches campaign against Barcelona over allegations of referee fixation, says they were saved from ‘bankruptcy’ 3 times

Real Madrid shared a four-minute video outlining Bacelona’s links with former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, in an apparent response to a comment made by the Blaugrana president in a press conference earlier on Monday. It comes after Laporta referenced Real Madrid in a press conference when attempting to defend the Blaugrana amid the referee payment scandal currently engulfing the club.

The video, aired on Real Madrid TV and later shared on social media, delves into Barcelona’s connections with Franco through archive footage and text. Madrid asserts that Barcelona offered him three medals, made him an honorary club member, and enjoyed more on-field success during his fascist regime.

YouTube video

In describing alleged favorable refereeing decisions for Real Madrid, the Barcelona president remarked that Los Blancos are a “team of the regime”, a phrase often used to tie Madrid to Franco during his rule from 1939 to 1975. “Barcelona awarded the gold and diamond badge to Franco. They named him an honorary partner in 1965. Barcelona was saved 3 times from bankruptcy with 3 reclassifications by Franco.”, Madrid responded.

FS Video

Real Madrid legend Santiago Bernabeu, whom their stadium is named after, furiously hated the notion that Los Blancos were Franco’s team. The two clubs’ relationship has soured in recent weeks after Madrid announced they planned to testify against Barcelona in the investigation into the club’s payment scandal. Laporta responded by canceling the customary lunch between the directors of both clubs before every Clasico.

Related: Joan Laporta launches missiles on Real Madrid over corrupt referee ‘history,’ calls their attack on Barcelona ‘nonsense’

What happened between Barcelona and Real Madrid after the alleged referee scandal?

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credit: Twitter

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta took a dig at Real Madrid, claiming that his club’s bitter rivals have “historically” been “very favored” by officiating decisions in the past. Barca has been charged with “continued corruption” by the Prosecutor’s Office and is being investigated for payments made to referees. Laporta held a press conference on Monday morning to explain and field questions on the Negreira Case.

He made a speech at a supporter’s club in Madrid where he stated that the Blaugrana’s enemies “have nothing” against them “because there is nothing” to prove. “What they have done here is magnify a situation that one of the people who was linked to these companies was a former referee and a former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Negreira did not have any capacity to alter the results of any match because he did not designate the referees,” Laporta claimed.

Laporta then took a swipe at Real Madrid for joining the case as a private accuser by saying that Los Blancos are “a club that has historically been very favored in terms of refereeing”. “I think it’s nonsense. We love Barca and we are not going to allow our beloved Barca’s sentiments to be dirtied,” he insisted. Laporta appeared before the media on Monday amid La Liga president Javier Tebas‘s suggestion that Laporta must step down if he can’t explain the payments made to Negreira.

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