“There's too much ego” – Mateu Lahoz on Jesus Gil Manzano's “systematic error” during Valencia-Real Madrid

The fallout continues over the controversy surrounding Real Madrid's 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday, particularly over referee Jesus Gil Manzano's decision to blow the full-time whistle a second before Jude Bellingham it heads to the bottom of the net. for that would have been the goal of the victory of Los Blancos.

Former referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, who was himself a controversial figure during his career, entered the debate. Speaking to Cadena Cope's Tiempo de Juego (via Brand), took aim at Gil Manzano on his handling of the debacle.

“The referees do their job more to be at the CTA meeting, rather than for football. They try to follow the guidelines. It is worrying that someone who has been for 11 years to do that, and he will be our representative at the European Championships. It's a systematic error. It's a matter of total concept. The timing (of the whistle) in the first half was also horrible.”

“It's just that the referees have too much ego. If this calamity had not happened, the CTA would have said that the refereeing intelligence shown by Gil Manzano would have been very good.

Real Madrid they certainly paid a price on the matter, although it wasn't one that affected them too badly this weekend, with nearest challengers Girona and Barcelona failing to capitalise.