Soto Grado’s refereeing in the quarterfinals’ cup derby, in which Real Madrid beat Atlético de Madrid 3-1, exploded Miguel Ángel Gil Marín. In a statement collected on the Rojiblanca company’s website on Friday night, the club’s CEO and main shareholder has filed charges against the arbitration and against the white team. The harshness of his words makes his speech unusual. Since taking the reins of the company, Atlético’s owner has never made such a public statement.
“I have the utmost respect for the referee team and I am convinced that he always wants what is best, but if you look at it from the outside, you will see that for decades the same thing has almost always happened. Unfortunately, it doesn’t surprise anyone anymore, it’s not news. It’s something very obvious and you just have to remember the story”.
Miguel Ángel Gil: “Risking a place in the cup semi-finals in your own stadium with 0-1 in the 71st minute, leaving Real Madrid with 10 players, those are big words”
I️ https://t.co/F8DTRte2CQ
– Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) January 27, 2023
Gil Marín unequivocally alludes to the influence that he believes the power of Madrid has on arbitration: “Madrid is a club with a very strong environment, with many interests around it. They create such pressure that it’s normal for it to affect the people who have to make decisions. They know what to expect if they damage them with a miss or even a hit. The campaign against whoever they believe is harming them is widespread.
For Atlético’s owner, “The system is like this and from Atleti we cannot change it alone. We need to compete as much as possible and keep working to have a stronger and fairer sector with all clubs. This stadium and the color of this shirt should not matter in fair decisions. Our players suffered the consequences of all that pressure on the pitch yesterday and I’m outraged, as is any fan, regardless of the team, who is expecting it there is only one standard.”
Ceballos’ non-exclusion for a double yellow card centralized the Rojiblanco leader’s criticism of referee Soto Grado: “Yesterday’s second yellow card was obviously, undeniably, in line with the regulations. But going 0-1 in the 71st minute in your own stadium to play the semi-finals of the cup and leaving Real Madrid with 10 players are big words.”
“We got used to the system. We read page after page in the press, hours on the radio and television in the days leading up to a derby talking about the need to protect a particular player from a particular team. Honestly, I think whoever didn’t protect themselves last night left Griezmann or Morata, for example, who beat them up, but that’s the system,” comments Miguel Ángel Gil emphatically.
In conclusion, the rojiblanco CEO states: “I hardly speak because they are quick to accuse you of being a victim, but anyone who really knows Atlético de Madrid’s DNA knows that we don’t like to apologize. Lest there be any doubt, we are responsible for where the team is, for not making it through the Champions League group stage and for being 7 points behind third place in LaLiga. And it’s up to us to use the 20 league games to finish the season as high as possible. Without excuses, but aware of how the system works,” the statement concludes.
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