In pictures: Atletico Madrid mocks Real Madrid for its 'complaint' against referring standards

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will face off in their second derby of the season, with the La Liga lead at stake and refereeing taking centre stage. In the days leading up to Saturday’s match, Real Madrid has voiced concerns about perceived errors against the club. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid has responded by accusing Real Madrid of attempting to exert pressure on the referees.

Real Madrid heads into the match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium with a narrow one-point advantage over Atletico Madrid. In the previous round, the gap between the two teams was reduced after Real Madrid experienced a setback against Espanyol, losing 1-0. The team expressed concerns regarding certain refereeing decisions that influenced the outcome of the match. 

In response, they submitted a formal complaint to both the Spanish Federation and the National Sports Authority to address these issues.

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Atletico Madrid takes a dig at  Real Madrid fans

The letter provoked a strong backlash throughout the league, and Atletico Madrid was among those expressing their dissatisfaction. The club took to social media to call out what it deemed Real Madrid’s blatant attempt to intimidate referees.

Atletico Madrid clearly outlined crucial yet humorous instructions for the derby on X, emphasising the need for top-notch physical preparation, pre-match massages, a comprehensive analysis of their rivals, and notably, the strategic use of the club's official television channel to exert pressure on the referees. 

In contrast, Real Madrid’s TV channel frequently highlights refereeing errors made against the club, and this week was no exception, as they showed these incidents multiple times.

The teams faced off in a tightly contested Liga derby in September at Metropolitano Stadium, resulting in a 1-1 draw. The match was halted for roughly 15 minutes when Atletico Madrid fans recklessly threw objects onto the field, compelling the referee to send the players to the locker rooms around the 70th minute.

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