Real Madrid has officially demanded the resignation of La Liga president Javier Tebas after he compared the club leadership's communications approach to the propaganda methods of the Nazi Party in Germany.
Earlier on Friday, Tebas posted on social media that "the Real Madrid leadership conducts a choir of spokespeople, with Real Madrid TV as the lead singer." The La Liga chief made the comment in response to articles by two journalists accusing him and La Liga of acting against Real Madrid's interests.
Tebas added that the two authors in El Debate were amplifying messaging on behalf of the Real Madrid leadership. He also criticized Real Madrid TV's coverage of refereeing decisions in the club's matches.
"Their score is always the same: pick situations that favor them, repeat the grievance over and over, sow doubt and point at the enemy," Tebas wrote. "That method is reminiscent of the propaganda mechanisms used by Goebbels, the Nazi German propaganda minister."
However, he insisted: "The comparison is with those propaganda techniques, not with an ideology and of course not with the Madridista fan community."
Real Madrid calls for Tebas to resign
The same day, Real Madrid issued a statement demanding Tebas step down as La Liga president and as vice president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The statement called his use of "a comparison with the propaganda methods of the Nazi regime to undermine the credibility of our club, its leadership and our television channel" as "unacceptable and especially serious."
"Tebas's repeated conduct shows a lack of neutrality, respect and fairness, incompatible with his institutional responsibilities," Real Madrid said. "It is unacceptable for him to use questions, information or opinions from journalists unrelated to the club to direct accusations at us, attributing to us the actions of third parties for which we are not responsible."
Tebas, 64, was elected by the 42 professional clubs in Spain's top two divisions and has served as La Liga president since 2013. In 2023, he was re-elected unopposed through 2027.
Real Madrid's statement came hours after La Liga confirmed the club as one of six teams that will sit on the league's executive committee this season.
