Spanish football is experiencing one of its most turbulent moments in recent years after the unprecedented decision of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to immediately remove four members of the referee team that directed the controversial match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, ​​played on Sunday, January 18 at the Reale Arena and ended with a 2-1 txuri-urdin victory.

The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), under the interim presidency after the structural reforms of 2025, has officially announced the temporary – and in practice indefinite – dismissal of the main referee Jesús Gil Manzano, the VAR Carlos del Cerro Grande and two field assistants involved in the key reviews of the match.

The measure is adopted due to “serious controversial decisions that decisively affected the development of the match” and, according to federative sources consulted by various media, due to “persistent links with the most serious arbitration scandal in the recent history of Spanish football”, in clear allusion to the shadows of the Negreira Case and the investigations that still affect the collegiate establishment.

The match, corresponding to matchday 20 of LaLiga EA Sports, was a true refereeing powder keg. Barcelona, ​​which arrived as an undefeated leader for many days and with dominant football under Hansi Flick, ran into an orderly and effective Real Sociedad, but above all with refereeing that generated indignation on the Blaugrana side. In just 21 minutes of the first half, Gil Manzano and the VAR intervened to annulthree goalsculés:

Minute 27: Fermín López’s goal invalidated due to an alleged previous foul in the original play (reviewed by VAR). Minute 28: Lamine Yamal’s goal annulled due to positional offside in a millimetric and highly disputed decision. Another goal (around the 45th minute) also ruled out after a prolonged review.

Furthermore, in the 45th minute+, a penalty was awarded in favor of Barça for a knockdown on Yamal inside the area, but the action was revoked due to a previous offside in the construction play. Barcelona finished the game with 22 scoring chances, 18 shots on goal, 68% possession and only one goal scored (by Marcus Rashford thanks to a masterful cross from Yamal). Real Sociedad, for its part, took advantage of two lethal counters: Oyarzabal in the 32nd minute and Gonçalo Guedes in the 71st minute.

Hansi Flick, visibly furious at the end of the meeting, declared: “I don’t want to waste energy talking about this guy. Everyone knows what happened.” Frenkie de Jong, captain and one of those most affected by the decisions, was even more direct: “Gil Manzano looks at you as if he were more than you. He is frustrating, arrogant and has stolen the game from us.”

The last straw for the RFEF was the accumulation of formal complaints from FC Barcelona, ​​added to media and social pressure. After the final whistle, the Blaugrana club presented a detailed report with more than 15 pages of analysis of the controversial plays, requesting an exhaustive review of the refereeing and the temporary disqualification of those involved.

The Federation, which had already been criticized for its passivity in previous episodes, chose to act with unusual speed: in less than 24 hours, the CTA issued an official statement confirming the dismissal of the four referees “until a thorough internal investigation is completed.”

Joan Laporta’s response: “Enough of impunity”

The news of the dismissal had barely emerged when Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, ​​appeared at an emergency press conference at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. His words were devastating and left the Federation in a state of shock.

Laporta announced that FC Barcelonawill temporarily withdraw its confidence in the current arbitration model and demand immediate structural changes. Specifically, the top Blaugrana leader communicated three forceful measures:

The club will present a formal complaint to the Higher Sports Council (CSD) and UEFA requesting an independent audit of the Spanish refereeing establishment, including the analysis of appointments, VAR reviews and possible conflicts of interest. Barça reserves the right not to participate in the next meeting of the LaLiga Assembly if there is no public rectification by the RFEF and a guarantee of neutrality in the remaining referee appointments of the season.

Laporta demanded the resignation or immediate dismissal of the current head of the CTA, whom he accused of “maintaining a system that allows impunity and arbitrariness.”

“This is not just about a match. It is about the credibility of Spanish football. We have been denouncing irregularities, favoritism and decisions that are not understood for years. Today the RFEF has taken a step, but it is insufficient. We want clean, transparent and professional refereeing. If there are no real changes, Barcelona will not remain silent,” said Laporta, who recalled that “Barça does not favor the referees, they have favored others all their lives.”

Laporta’s reaction has generated an institutional earthquake. Sources from the RFEF admit privately that the decision to dismiss the referees was taken precisely to avoid a further escalation, but the demands of the Blaugrana president have put the federative body on the ropes. Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, has remained silent for the moment, although he is expected to intervene in the next few hours.

Sports consequences and the fight for the title

With the defeat in San Sebastián, Barcelona sees its cushion at the top of LaLiga reduced to just one point over Real Madrid, which won its corresponding match. The pressure on Flick and his squad increases, but the focus is now off the pitch. Barça’s next league match will be at home against a direct rival in Europe, and the referee’s appointment is already generating maximum expectation.

Meanwhile, Real Sociedad celebrates a golden point that takes them away from danger and is grateful for the effectiveness of their forwards. But the real protagonist of the day has been the refereeing, which once again divides Spanish football.

The dismissal of Gil Manzano and his team, added to Laporta’s explosive response, opens a new chapter in the refereeing crisis that has been dragging on in national football for years. Will this be the turning point that forces a profound reform, or just another episode in the eternal war between clubs, the Federation and referees?

Time will tell if Laporta’s words are translated into actions or remain in a new chapter of institutional tension. For now, the message is clear: Barça is not willing to continue tolerating what it considers refereeing injustices. And the RFEF, for the first time in a long time, has felt the tremor.