Luis de la Fuente rejects referee manipulation claims

Spanish national team coach Luis de la Fuente has rejected allegations of referee manipulation following the Madrid derby. Responding to criticisms made by José Mourinho regarding officiating, de la Fuente stated that he does not believe in theories of a ‘hand invisible’ behind match results, noting that if he believed in such manipulation, he would leave the position.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas also addressed the controversy, questioning the tendency to turn every officiating error into a fundamental theory of bias. He specifically pointed to the narrative presented by Real Madrid TV following losses. The club has responded by labeling Tebas’s comments as ‘intolerable.’

Separately, de la Fuente has extended his commitment to the Spanish national team through 2032.