Barcelona president Joan Laporta launched a scathing attack on Real Madrid and their official television channel on Tuesday, mocking the controversial penalty that gave Los Blancos a dramatic 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu. Kylian Mbappé converted the spot-kick in the 100th minute after Brahim Díaz went down in the box during nine minutes of added time that left the football world bewildered.
Speaking at Mundo Deportivo's 120th anniversary gala, Laporta did not hold back. The Barcelona president mimicked a diving motion, saying it was clearly a simulation, before breaking into laughter. The viral moment quickly spread across social media, reigniting the fierce rivalry between Spain's two biggest clubs.
Laporta specifically targeted Real Madrid's official television channel, RMTV, which has repeatedly criticized referees this season for allegedly favoring opponents. He stated that they are talking about a club that has a TV channel dedicated to making irrelevant claims and saying that referees are constantly and permanently biased against them. He then asked what the famous TV channel says now, noting that now it does not harm their team, and questioned whether they have analyzed any of this, telling them to get their act together.
The Barcelona president argued that RMTV creates unfair pressure on officials by repeatedly highlighting supposed errors against Real Madrid in pre-match videos. According to Laporta, this gives the club an advantage in La Liga as it influences referees and fosters an atmosphere where officials favor them to avoid criticism. He noted that players are getting used to diving in the penalty area and that such behavior should warrant a yellow card.
Real Madrid TV responded defiantly to Laporta's previous criticism, stating that if telling the truth is considered vomiting, then they will continue vomiting. The channel also accused Laporta of perjury, claiming he was caught in three contradictions or lies. The cold war between Laporta and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has thawed into open hostility since the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.
During the same event, Laporta confirmed Barcelona's election calendar. The board will be dissolved on Monday, February 9th, with elections scheduled for mid-March. He expressed excitement about running for a fourth mandate, expecting high participation in what he called a model process. The controversial refereeing decisions and the ongoing war of words between the clubs show no signs of abating as La Liga's title race intensifies.
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