Real launch unprecedented attack on impartiality of ref
Real Madrid have launched an unprecedented attack on the impartiality of the referee of next week's league game against city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid have launched an unprecedented attack on the impartiality of the referee of next week's league game against city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Real, whose president Florentino Perez recently said that they club would do all they could to help referees do their job more effectively, said that Bernardino Gonzalez Vazquez had a record of prejudicing their interests in past encounters.
They also claim that Gonzalez Vazquez has been appointed at after pressure from their opponents Atletico and that he is a self-confessed supporter of arch-rivals Barcelona.
"We now know the referee for next Saturday's game between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid," Real said on their website on Friday.
"Bernardino Gonzalez Vazquez refereed Real Madrid against Villarreal last season, a game in which he clearly prejudiced the interests of the whites by making numerous errors, although that did not prevent a 2-1 victory for Madrid."
"At first Cesar Muniz Fernandez was going to referee the game, but following pressure from Atletico Madrid, Bernardino Gonzalez Vazquez, a self-confessed fan of Barcelona and a man who is protected by the president of the Referees' Committee Victoriano Sanchez Armino, was chosen instead."
Real said that Gonzalez Vazquez was the author of what they claim were "seven deadly sins" in last season's match against Villarreal.
He sent off Real players Zinedine Zidane and Walter Samuel as well as Villarreal defender Quique Alvarez during the encounter at the Bernabeu.
Last month Real Madrid threatened to call for their 1-0 defeat at Espanyol to be overturned because they claimed the referee had blown his whistle moments before the winning goal was scored, but they eventually backed down.
Real president Perez said the club had a policy of never criticising referees when he came to power five years ago.
Neither the Spanish league (LFP) not the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) could be contacted on Friday night.
An Atletico spokesman said: "We have no comment whatsoever to make about what Real Madrid have said on their website."