Real Madrid wants Javier Tebas out. The club is demanding the immediate resignation of the La Liga president after he drew a direct line between the club’s television coverage and the propaganda methods of Nazi Germany.
The feud between the Santiago Bernabéu and the league office has simmered for months, but Friday’s comments turned the heat up to a dangerous level. Tebas, who has led La Liga since 2013, took to social media to attack the club’s management. He accused them of directing an “orchestra of mouthpieces,” with Real Madrid TV leading the charge.
“Goebbels” comparison
Tebas didn’t hold back. He wrote that the club’s media strategy involves selecting plays that suit their narrative, repeating grievances, and pointing fingers at enemies. “That method recalls propaganda mechanisms used by Goebbels, Nazi Germany’s Minister of Propaganda,” he stated. He quickly added a disclaimer, clarifying that the comparison was about techniques, not ideology, and certainly not about the fanbase.
Madrid’s furious response
Real Madrid’s reaction was swift and scathing. In a statement released hours later, the club called Tebas’ remarks “intolerable and extraordinarily serious.” They argued that using a comparison with the Nazi regime to discredit the club, its management, and its television channel was a breach of basic institutional conduct. “Tebas’ repeated conduct demonstrates a lack of neutrality, respect and impartiality incompatible with his institutional responsibilities,” the club said. They also pushed back on his claim that journalists were acting on their behalf, stating they bear no responsibility for the opinions of third parties.
A long-running war
This isn’t the first time the two sides have clashed. Last month, Real Madrid called for a new La Liga president after Tebas dismissed their complaints about refereeing decisions as a “smokescreen” for their own on-pitch shortcomings. The 64-year-old Tebas, who was re-elected unopposed in 2023 until 2027, has often found himself on the wrong side of the club’s powerful hierarchy. He is elected by the 42 professional clubs in Spain’s top two tiers, but his relationship with the biggest clubs has always been rocky.
The situation remains tense. La Liga confirmed Friday that Real Madrid is one of six clubs sitting on the league’s Executive Committee this season, meaning the two sides will have to work together despite the open hostility. Whether this latest insult forces a change in leadership or just deepens the divide remains to be seen, but the air in Spanish football is currently toxic.
Source: Al Jazeera
This article was compiled by the IndiaBBCNews editorial system from verified international news sources. Facts have been independently reviewed. Original reporting: Al Jazeera.
