A former La Liga referee has questioned the Clasico allegations levelled at a Referees Technical Committee member due to his Barcelona background.
Jose Angel Jimenez Munoz de Morales has been forced to fend off accusations that he was the committee member who pressured the linesman in question, and his ex-colleague believes there is no reason for him to vouch against the Catalans.
"These things don’t help our credibility and neutrality,” Sergi Albert Jimenez told Cadena COPE.
“I’m shocked by how everything’s come out without any evidence because if you go public with something then it’s because it’s really been the case.
“I’m surprised but where there’s smoke there’s fire, so something must be there.
“Nothing ever happened to me. I do know, however, that in my time there were a few referees who received calls, but there’s no evidence or allegations of them being corrupt.
“A top-flight linesman can currently earn €150,000 year. To risk losing this means he probably was pressured.
“Jose Angel Jimenez Munoz de Morales is from my era. He’s a man prepared to officiate, a man, for me, who is smart, intelligent and is a Barca fan.
“He said so publicly. He admitted to everyone he was a Barca fan at a meeting – or neutral but had a soft spot for them, so to speak.”
