Fabio Capello has issued an official statement to quell the media firestorm that erupted after his interview with Spanish newspaper Marca. The former AC Milan, Juventus, and Real Madrid coach wanted to clarify the nature of his harsh remarks against referees, whom he initially labeled a "mafia."
A term that, according to Capello, has been exploited and isolated from the original context of the speech.
Clarification on the refereeing "caste"
In the clarification, Capello explains that the reference to the term "mafia" was not intended to allude to criminal practices, but rather to an excessively hermetic organizational structure. According to the coach, referees operate as a closed group that refuses to engage with external figures, particularly by denying former professional footballers access to VAR rooms.
It might interest you
“And many times they make incorrect decisions because they haven't played and don't know the movements of football,” the former coach reiterated, underlining how the presence of retired athletes could improve the quality of technological evaluations.
The comparison between Negreira and Calciopoli
Beyond the internal controversy, Capello touched a raw nerve in European football by comparing the Negreira scandal, which involved Barcelona, to the Calciopoli scandal of 2006. The coach's opinion highlights the disparity in treatment between the two federations: "In Spain, nothing happened with the Negreira affair, while in Italy, Juventus was sent to Serie B despite not having paid the referees."
The speech concludes with a tribute to the professionalism of Italian referees, with Capello expressing regret for the "inappropriate" use of his words. However, his underlying criticism remains true: a system that, he believes, requires greater openness toward those who have experienced it firsthand.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
Capello did well to explain his words, even if his statements were sometimes misunderstood. The issue of referees is always a delicate and important one for football. I hope better solutions are found in the future.