Real Madrid Ends Ties with Spanish FA Over Refereeing

Real Madrid has severed ties with the Royal Spanish Football Federation amid escalating frustrations over refereeing decisions in domestic competitions, while simultaneously dismissing rumors of internal restructuring at the club. The moves come as Los Blancos navigate a challenging stretch, including a 1-1 draw against Girona that extended their winless run to three games in La Liga.

The federation fallout intensified after the Girona match on Friday, where officials declined to award a penalty for a late challenge on forward Kylian Mbappe. Club figures, including Alvaro Arbeloa, voiced sharp criticism of the call during post-match comments, with Arbeloa questioning the consistency of video assistant referee interventions. Real Madrid views the incident as emblematic of broader issues, pointing to two similar plays involving Mbappe that received differing judgments. Officials from the club have described the domestic league as compromised, leading them to withdraw from collaborative efforts to reform the refereeing system.

Earlier attempts at reconciliation under federation president Rafael Louzan included meetings with Real Madrid general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, who...