Former Real Madrid player Daniel Vázquez accepted an exclusive interview with the media, talking about topics such as the Negreira case and Real Madrid being labeled a "privileged team" by some people.
Q: Now that the truth about the Negreira case is gradually coming to light, people have seen how difficult it is to win those league titles you lost by just two or three points. And you, like all Real Madrid people, must have suffered a lot. Of course, you didn’t know about the Negreira issue back then, but looking back in the long run, there are indeed some games where you think "how could this happen". For example, at Camp Nou, in the 2nd minute of the game, Javier Mascherano fouled you with an obvious trip. Referee Clos Gómez had already put the whistle to his mouth but hesitated. The reason was "it’s only the 2nd minute". Alright. As a Real Madrid man who has suffered, what do you think of the Negreira case? And with judicial proceedings ongoing, more and more evidence is emerging. Do you feel angry when looking back? Do you have a feeling that you might have been affected? Just like the penalty that decided the championship against Sevilla, after the replay, it was ruled that Éder Militão handled the ball, even though the ball actually hit his shoulder. How do the players view this matter?
A: This is not normal, it’s very abnormal. I said in another interview not long ago that I think this matter is more serious than it seems. It’s hard to make sense of a club paying someone inside the referee community. I believe justice will be served sooner or later. But what has happened should not happen in football. This isn’t even a matter of fair play, it’s nothing. Things are much more serious than they appear. Maybe you’re right to a certain extent—all these things may have also affected the ownership of other league titles.
Q: As a Real Madrid player, you must have heard the clichés like "referees always favor Real Madrid" or "Real Madrid is Franco’s team". There has always been a saying in society that Real Madrid is a privileged team, and if there’s any doubt, referees will always help Real Madrid. But now the time has come for the truth to be revealed, and obviously, such things have happened. Real Madrid people have been almost forced to feel inferior and apologize for something they didn’t do.
A: This is absurd.
Q: Of course, I never paid anyone from the referee committee, let alone the second-in-command. It must be very frustrating because you could have won more domestic titles.
A: Yes, I think everything has had an impact. The truth is being uncovered bit by bit to see what has happened over the years. This is something that should be faced squarely and sanctioned. We will see how justice rules. But this is really not normal, very abnormal.
The following is about the debate between Real Madrid and Barcelona over the Negreira case.
Laporta: Barça Never Bribed Referees; Real Madrid Had Dodgy Calls Last Round + Persecution Complex
