Spanish refereeing has once again become the hottest topic in LaLiga, with Real Madrid at the heart of the debate. The expulsion of Dean Huijsen at Anoeta on Saturday — followed just 24 hours later by another controversial red card shown to Jorge Cestero in Castilla’s game against Athletic B — has escalated tensions between the club and the officiating establishment.
The Huijsen red card
What happened in San Sebastián reignited hot debates about the state of refereeing in Spain. In the 32nd minute against Real Sociedad,
Jesus Gil Manzano showed a straight red to Dean Huijsen for a last-man foul on Mikel Oyarzabal. Real Madrid argued Eder Militão was close enough to provide cover, meaning the foul should have been punished with only a yellow.
Inside the CTA, the consensus is that Gil Manzano’s decision was wrong. Diario AS report that technical chiefs believe Militão’s positioning meant the red was excessive. However, they also describe the incident as “complex with several nuances,” and crucially, they support VAR official Jorge Figueroa Vázquez for not intervening. In their eyes, the error was not “clear and obvious” enough to trigger an overturn.
Real Madrid are appealing Huijsen’s suspension, with optimism that the sanction will be lifted. For now, though, he is set to miss next weekend’s clash with Espanyol.
Madrid’s fury over refereeing statistics
The controversy has reopened a broader debate that has haunted Real Madrid fans for years. Since the turn of the century, Barcelona have benefitted from 65 red cards in their favor in LaLiga, while Real Madrid sit at –2, having had to play down a man more often than enjoy a numerical advantage.
The comparison with the Champions League is striking. Under UEFA’s officiating, the numbers are virtually even: +12 for Barcelona and +13 for Real Madrid. For the Bernabéu hierarchy, this difference highlights a trend — domestic refereeing consistently hurts Madrid, while European refereeing is more neutral.
This narrative is further amplified by the ongoing Negreira case, which is investigating Barcelona’s payments to the former vice president of the CTA. Although no verdict has been reached, many in Madrid view their poor expulsion record in Spain as circumstantial evidence of bias.
Castilla also hit by refereeing storm
The frustration was compounded on Sunday, when Castilla were reduced to 10 men in their 1–0 loss against Athletic B. Midfielder Jorge Cestero was dismissed in the 36th minute for a second yellow card after what looked like a clean challenge.
Despite Castilla using one of their VAR review requests, referee David López upheld his initial decision, even after rewatching replays that appeared to show Cestero clearly winning the ball and pulling his legs back to avoid contact. The Castilla bench was furious, and Arbeloa himself confronted the officials as they left for halftime.
The incident has drawn direct comparisons to Huijsen’s red card, and within Real Madrid, the incident in the Castilla match only added fuel to the fire.
What’s next?
The sequence of events — a controversial dismissal in the first team followed by another in the reserve side less than 24 hours later — has fueled Real Madrid’s sense of grievance. Club officials are preparing to contact FIFA over the perceived decline in refereeing standards in Spain.
With appeals pending for both Huijsen and Cestero, Madrid will continue to push for answers. But regardless of disciplinary rulings, the sense inside the club is that refereeing in Spain has reached a breaking point — and that they are the ones paying the price.
