Real Madrid TV responds to Barcelona’s Laporta: “Which is the team of the regime?”

Joan Laporta’s attack on Real Madrid won’t be met with a public reply from any member of the board, coaching team or playing staff, and Los Blancos won’t be releasing an official statement on the Barcelona president’s words.

However, Real Madrid TV, the club’s in-house television station, has broadcast a video that responds to the accusations Laporta launched at Madrid during an explosive press conference on Monday.

Laporta launches Real Madrid broadside in ‘Negreira affair’ remarks

Seeking to defend Barça over its €7.3m in payments to former Spanish referees’ chief José María Enríquez Negreira, Laporta went on the attack against Madrid, describing the 14-time European champions as a “team of the regime” and accusing the club of having been “historically favoured” by referees.

“Real Madrid [are a club] that has been historically favoured when it comes to refereeing decisions - historically and currently,” Laporta told reporters. “A club that has always been considered as a team of the regime due to their proximity to power - be it political or economic power.”

In a video that has quickly gone viral on social media, Real Madrid TV bridles at Laporta’s remarks.

“Which is the team of the regime?”

Asking “which is the team of the regime?”, the video points to Barça’s relationship with General Francisco Franco, the far-right dictator who ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975.

“The Camp Nou was inaugurated by Franco’s general minister, José Solís Ruiz,” the video notes, adding: “Barcelona made Franco an honorary member in 1965” and “presented him with awards on three occasions”. Franco’s administration, Real Madrid TV also says, helped save the Blaugrana from bankruptcy three times.

On the field, the video continues, “Barcelona won eight LaLiga titles and nine Copas del Generalísimo [now known as the Copa del Rey] under Franco.

“Madrid took 15 years to win the Spanish league during Franco’s time in power.”