Source: REUTERS/Juan Medina
[Saba Sports News] According to Spanish media reports, the referees for the Super Cup rejected small gifts sent by Real Madrid to express their dissatisfaction with Real Madrid TV. Reports state that Real Madrid TV has previously produced several videos criticizing the referees, which has caused discontent among them. Spanish referees have agreed to unite and clearly express their dissatisfaction with Real Madrid TV’s actions. Therefore, during the Super Cup final, the entire refereeing team led by Hill Manzano refused the small gifts from Real Madrid. It is customary for referees to receive gifts, which are usually inexpensive items (like T-shirts, badges, pens, etc.) and are part of the pre-match friendly atmosphere; however, this time the referees rejected this “hypocritical friendliness.” It is noteworthy that the practice of gifting before matches has previously caused controversy, particularly when referee Manzano’s performance in the match between Real Madrid and Villarreal was called into question. After the match, he was seen in the mixed zone leaving the stadium with a bag containing Real Madrid logos and gifts, which was perceived as an exacerbating factor.