Real Madrid TV takes shot at El Clásico referee, alleges favouring Barcelona | OneFootball

Sunday’s El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona was packed with drama — both on and off the pitch.

From Vinicius Junior’s heated reaction after the final whistle to Lamine Yamal’s confrontation with several Real Madrid players, the tension was unmistakable at the Santiago Bernabeu.

But another key highlight of the game was the refereeing of Cesar Soto Grado, who — despite handling a high-pressure match — has now become the target of Real Madrid TV’s criticism.

RMTV+ list of complaints against Soto Grado

Real Madrid TV released a detailed segment highlighting what they called “key mistakes” made by the referee, suggesting he favoured Barcelona with several decisions.

They began by pointing to the 3rd minute, claiming a “clear penalty” on Vinicius was ignored when Lamine Yamal supposedly failed to touch the ball.

It was a great shift put in by the referee (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The channel also protested a disallowed goal by Kylian Mbappé in the 13th minute, calling it “a serious error filled with doubt.”

Their list continued with incidents throughout the match, including an uncalled foul by Pedri on Camavinga in the build-up to Valverde’s yellow card, a missed foul on Brahim Diaz in the 73rd minute, and two late-game moments involving Lamine and Pedri that, according to Real Madrid TV, went unpunished.

Soto Grado’s steady performance amid chaos

Despite the accusations, many observers noted that Soto Grado managed the game fairly well, given its intensity and the number of flashpoints between players.

His decisions did not significantly disrupt the rhythm of play, and he maintained control throughout a match that could easily have spiralled.

But instead of acknowledging it, RMTV has decided to play it dirty by yet another launching a strike on a referee, a practice Laporta had pointed out just before the Clasico.