Barcelona’s Hansi Flick: Ref-bashing in Spain unbelievable

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick launched an impassioned defence of referees in Spain on Friday, criticising how they have been treated and calling on the Royal Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] to show how strong they are.

Referee José Luis Munuera Montero this week revealed he was unable to leave his house after receiving death threats for sending off Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham last Saturday.

It comes following weeks of scrutiny on match officials in the country since Madrid filed a formal complaint with the RFEF and Spain’s Sports Ministry (CSD) over the standard of refereeing in LaLiga, claiming it “adulterated” the competition.

“The referees, at the moment, what they are doing here in Spain with them is unbelievable,” Flick said in a news conference on Friday.

“You have to think about their families. Everyone of us makes mistakes, including me. It is the responsibility of the players and coaches to protect them. I don’t like [what’s happening].

“We use our energy to discuss with him. No. The referee makes his decision. In the past we had no VAR. Now we have VAR. We have to trust in them.”

A commission has been put together to explore reforming the refereeing system in LaLiga, which is currently overseen by Spain’s technical committee of referees (CTA), which is part of the RFEF.

Flick urged the RFEF to stand up to the threats and criticism with the goal of protecting officials.

“The [RFEF] have to show how strong they are,” he added. “This is, for me, very important. We have to take care about that. We have to change these things.

“They are human. We have to take care of them and protect them because we cannot play without referees.”

It has been a difficult month for referees in Spain.

Madrid first complained of on-field referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz and VAR official Javier Iglesias Villanueva’s decision not to send off Espanyol defender Carlos Romero for a foul on Kylian Mbappé.

Bellingham’s dismissal for foul and abusive language last weekend towards Munuera Montero, which has earned the Englishman a two-game ban, then served to increase the hostile atmosphere towards officials that had already been brewing.

Flick was speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to 17th-placed Las Palmas, where Barça will look to retain their place at the top of the table after leapfrogging both Real and Atlético Madrid on Monday.

Barça have no new injury concerns ahead of the game, with Andreas Christensen returning to training this week. Long-term absentees Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are the only other players missing.

Earlier on Friday, Barça were paired against Benfica in the round of 16 of the Champions League, with the second leg to be played at the Olympic Stadium and the winners meeting either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the quarterfinal.

“It’s a tough match because they are doing really good,” Flick said of drawing Benfica, who Barça beat 5-4 when the two teams met in an instant classic in Lisbon last month.

“We could see it in the game at Benfica, they hurt us a lot on this day. At this stage, there are no opponents you can say it’s easy. For everyone now it’s tough matches.”