Real Madrid and Barcelona speak out against Rubiales

When everything pointed to Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales standing down on Friday morning, the executive surprised many as he sensationally refused to resign as president of the Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF) at the organisation’s emergency EGM, which was hastily called after the 46-year-old was seen kissing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips after La Roja had won the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history at Stadium Australia in Sydney last Sunday.

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Anger and frustration from within the game at Rubiales’ position started to grow as Friday afternoon evolved with many players from the Spain World Cup winning side including the likes of two time Balon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati who won the Golden Ball at the competition citing their anger and showing solidarity with Hermoso. Dissent also came from players who made up ‘the 15′ (Spain players who withdrew their services from the national team in 2022 as they were unhappy with many aspects within the Spanish FA) with the likes of Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro.

A series of high profile male players too have used their social media platforms to condemn Rubiales with the likes of Iker Casillas, David de Gea, Borja Iglesias, Sergi Roberto and Hector Bellerin all expressing their views after Rubiales made his position clear at the EGM on Friday.

Big two speak out against Rubailes

As Friday transcurred, a series of LaLiga clubs including Celta, Sevilla and Osasuna all issued statements backing the women’s football team and condemning the actions and Rubiales position.

FC Barcelona were one of the first high profile clubs to speak out and given that a significant number of the World Cup winners play for the Catalan club, it was interesting to see degrees of ambiguity in their statement.

FCB statement: “After the Extraordinary Assembly of the RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) held on Friday it appears that the explanation given the president of the Federation, Mr. Rubiales, has been sufficient for the members present at the Assembly who have the authority to confirm him in his position.

FC Barcelona, however, wishes to make clear that it considers totally improper and inappropriate the RFEF president’s behaviour during the celebrations for the World Cup victory achieved by the Spanish Women’s team. The incident we consider to be deplorable and Mr. Rubiales himself has admitted it was an error and has apologised.

In the light of his unjustifiable incident, FC Barcelona remains committed to its policy of supporting women’s sport, equality between men and women in sport and in society in general, and of guaranteeing the safety of women in sport and denouncing any behaviour that violates our principles and Statutes”.

Real Madrid support action against Rubiales

The Santiago Bernabeu club delivered their particular communique a couple of hours later and were harder hitting as they offered their full support to head of the CSD Victor Francos as the body have already revealed that they have submitted the complaints filed against him to the TAD (the Spanish Administrative Sports Court), who could ban Rubiales from holding office from anywhere between two to 15 years, if they decide he has committed an offence.

Real Madrid statement: “Following the appearance of the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, before the Extraordinary General Assembly held today, Real Madrid wishes to state the following:

That our club fully supports the decision taken by the president of the Consejo Superior de Deportes, Víctor Francos, who will immediately refer this case to the Tribunal Administrativo del Deporte.

Real Madrid has full confidence from now on in the actions taken by the relevant competent bodies, in this case the Consejo Superior de Deportes.

Our club supports our women’s football team and reiterates its congratulations on the historic achievement of winning the World Cup, and will continue to work on the development and growth of women’s football in our country”.