Real Madrid TV fires back at Atlético with archive clips of Simeone's referee complaints

Real Madrid TV escalated its public dispute with Atlético de Madrid on 22 September, publishing a video that directly challenged the rival club’s post-derby calls for respect toward match officials, according to Diario AS.

The piece builds its argument around archive material rather than any new incident, presenting a carousel of old social media posts and footage to suggest that Atlético’s current stance on refereeing is inconsistent with its own history. The central claim, as reported by Diario AS, is that the club has repeatedly questioned officials when results have gone against them.

Among the material cited is Simeone’s earlier description of the league as “dangerously prepared” for Real Madrid, as well as a statement attributed to Atlético chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín suggesting the same refereeing dynamic had persisted for a decade. The video also references an Atlético social media post that asked followers to retweet if they wanted the rules applied equally to all clubs.

The response was prompted by an Atlético tweet and comments Simeone made in the aftermath of the Madrid derby, which had already sparked a public exchange between the two clubs. Real Madrid TV has positioned itself as the club’s primary mouthpiece in that dispute.

The video closes by noting that Manzano, a former Atlético head coach, now holds responsibility for designating match officials — a detail framed as a further illustration of the club’s shifting position on the issue.

Diario AS reports no direct reply from Atlético or Simeone to this specific video, and no verified quotes from either side have been published in response to it. The release nonetheless marks a further escalation in a row that shows little sign of cooling between two of Spain’s fiercest rivals.