Stick' to Madrid? Flick clarifies his stance on referee harassment: “We must protect them...”

One of the topics that Hansi Flick had to address at the press conference prior to the match between UD Las Palmas and FC Barcelona was the controversy related to Spanish refereeing. It is important to remember that a great controversy has arisen around the systematic harassment of the refereeing collective, which has led this sector to issue a strong statement rejecting what they described as an atmosphere of "widespread hate and violence" towards them and their families.

With this in mind, the native of Heidelberg, without being prompted on the topic, began to openly comment on his stance regarding the ongoing harassment towards referees and their families. Flick has shown his total rejection of this case, emphasizing the importance of players and coaches supporting them so they can perform their work effectively. "In this competition, it is also important to think about the referees and their families: we all make mistakes. The responsibility of players and coaches is to protect them. I don’t like what is happening. The referees make their decisions, but they have VAR. We must trust the referees, and the Federation must show them support. They must be protected, we need to change," he warned.

"The responsibility of players and coaches is to protect them"

In the same vein, regarding the topic of refereeing, he reiterated his disapproval of the hostile climate created around those responsible for enforcing justice in matches, requesting to stop blaming them for the results that may occur. "We always look for excuses: if we lose, it’s the referees’ fault, but that’s not the case. We all can make mistakes, they can too. But we must protect them: we cannot play without referees. We must protect them, and perhaps we need to play better to win," he emphasized.

"We must protect them: we cannot play without referees. We must protect them, and perhaps we need to play better to win"

The controversial sanction of Jude Bellingham for his expulsion against CA Osasuna

To conclude, regarding the refereeing controversies, the German coach chose not to comment on the sanction imposed on Jude Bellingham. It is worth recalling that the English midfielder was given a two-match suspension amid the controversy generated by an alleged insult directed at referee José Luis Munuera Montero during the match between Real Madrid and CA Osasuna. This issue has sparked reactions from various sectors due to the apparent leniency of the sanction, a matter in which the German coach has chosen not to intervene. "I have nothing to say about this. Bellingham is a magnificent player, the other things have nothing to do with my players. I just hope my team plays as I want, that’s all I want to see," he concluded.