“I don’t like what Real Madrid are doing to Referees” — Xavi

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has accused Real Madrid of influencing referees in Spain through their television channel.

Hernandez, who has previously accused La Liga officials of favoring Real Madrid, now claims that the referees are being “conditioned” by the Madrid club on a weekly basis.

“I already said that I don’t like that they [Madrid] condition the referees, but they continue to do it every week. The referees are going to whistle-conditioned,” Xavi stated.

He went on to express his concern that such alleged influence hampers Barcelona’s ability to compete with Real Madrid in the title race.

Xavi did not shy away from acknowledging Barcelona’s own troubles, specifically referencing the “Negreira case,” a scandal that has cast a shadow over the club.

Despite this setback, he maintained that Madrid’s supposed referee influence remains a significant challenge for Barcelona.

“The ‘Negreira case’ hasn’t helped us either, but that’s what we have to compete with. I agree one hundred percent with the president’s words. It’s a reality, and we can’t deceive Barcelona fans,” Xavi emphasized.