Atletico Madrid escalate war of words with Real Madrid with another remark over refereeing | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid have once again stirred controversy on social media as they gear up for the highly anticipated derby against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The club has continued its string of provocative posts, seemingly in response to Real Madrid’s recent statement following their match against Espanyol.

Real Madrid had criticised refereeing decisions, particularly the failure to send off Romero for a foul on Kylian Mbappe, accusing LaLiga of being manipulated.

Yet another attack

In a bold social media post, Atletico Madrid expressed their support for the referees, stating that these were difficult times for the football community. This message was seen by many as a sarcastic jab at Real Madrid’s complaints.

“We want to convey all our support and solidarity to the refereeing team and their families and friends. These are very hard days for the football family. Keep your spirits up,” read the tweet.

This social media feud began a few days earlier when Atletico tweeted a cheeky request for help from the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) to clarify the meanings of words such as “press,” “intimidate,” and “influence.”

This was widely interpreted as a dig at Real Madrid for allegedly putting pressure on match officials.

The tension escalated further with additional posts from Atletico, including so-called “basic instructions for preparing for the derby.”

One particular section took aim at Real Madrid’s use of their official television channel, suggesting it was employed to influence referees.

Both coaches, Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid and Diego Simeone of Atletico, were questioned about these controversial tweets during their pre-match press conferences.

Ancelotti chose to sidestep the issue, focusing instead on his team’s preparations, mentioning recovery sessions and tactical drills.

Simeone followed a similar approach, refraining from getting drawn into the drama. He mentioned that he, like Ancelotti, planned to relax by watching television, subtly dismissing the social media buzz surrounding the match.