Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti hits back at Joan Laporta and Xavi – ‘Spanish football has a problem’

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has responded to Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez and President Joan Laporta, following their comments on refereeing in Spain, claiming that it was all distraction from the real issue.

After Real Madrid beat Almeria 3-2 on Sunday, involving multiple controversial VAR interventions, Xavi told the press that ‘you all saw what happened, it will be difficult to win this league’. Meanwhile Laporta spoke later in the week, and was considerably stronger, declaring that ‘La Liga is adulterated, and VAR has been taken hostage’.

Ancelotti said that it was a manner of distracting from the Negreira case, which took a major turn this week.

“This week they have talked a lot. I think the same as what I said before, I don’t like getting into this kind of thing. We don’t need to distract from the key issue. Everyone knows what has happened in the last 23 years in Spanish football, here is the problem. The League is not adulterated, Spanish football has had a problem. Now the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office and the police are carrying out the investigation and now we have to wait. We must not distract from the key issue.”

First asked about Laporta’s comments, Ancelotti was not forthcoming with his thoughts on Xavi’s comments.

“I would prefer not to respond to that. I don’t want to reveal my personal thoughts on that.”

Atletico Madrid legend Paulo Futre has also waded into the controversy this week, calling Ancelotti’s press conference after the Almeria game ‘shameful’. Ancelotti had claimed that he felt all three decisions were correct.

“I know him, but I have never spoken to him, I don’t want to answer him.”

The questions are unlikely to stop. Now that the RFEF have decided to release the audio from the VAR room, and Gerard Romero’s sources seemingly are able to get hold of audios from the past, every decisions can be analysed in the most minute detail.