Indignant Pérez threatens to quit Spanish FA over recent VAR controversies
Two recent VAR-related decisions have angered the Real Madrid president, to the point that he is considering resigning from the Spanish FA position he began less than four weeks ago.
Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, is seriously considering leaving his position as a member of the board of directors of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), just one month after he was appointed to the role by RFEF president Luis Rubiales.
Perez began his involvement again with the RFEF on December 19, after years of absence due a strained relationship with former president Ángel María Villar.
Rubiales managed to convince Perez to join the board, together with Barcelona president Josep María Bartomeu, Atlético president Enrique Cerezo, as well as Ronaldo Nazario, owner and president of Valladolid, and other presidents from several clubs from the Primera Liga, Second Division and Second Division B.
Recent VAR-related controversies
However, AS has learnt that, as a result of recent VAR-related decisions that have gone against Real Madrid, Perez is considering stepping down from the RFEF board.
The first occurred in Madrid’s game against Real Sociedad on Sunday, January 6, when Vinicius was taken down in the box by Sociedad goalkeeper Rulli. Much to the indignation of Vinicius, his team mates and the Bernabéu crowd, the referee neither called a penalty nor for the assistance of VAR – when arguably it was a situation that clearly warranted the use of the video official.
The second VAR controversy occurred in Madrid’s 2-1 win over Betis in Seville on Sunday, when VAR deemed Betis player Canales’ 67th minute goal onside. However, images that came to light after the game (see below) seem to confirm that Canales was in fact offside, and as such, the goal should not have stood.
The two incidents have clearly angered Perez, to the point that the Madrid president is now threatening to resign from the Spanish FA position he began less than four weeks ago.