According to a report by Madrid Universal on Monday October 19, 2026, La Liga president Javier Tebas has challenged Real Madrid to explain an anti-Tebas banner displayed at the Santiago Bernabeu during Sunday's match against Sevilla.

The Spanish football chief questioned whether the club would distance itself from the message after previously claiming that statements made by journalists outside the organisation represented independent opinions.

The banner, displayed in the stadium's south stand, read, “It's not football, it's Tebas and Negreira.” Tebas responded on X, linking the protest to the ongoing dispute between himself and the Spanish giants over refereeing controversies and the governance of Spanish football.

Tebas questioned whether Real Madrid would consider the banner an opinion unrelated to the club, just as they had described previous comments from journalists.

He also recalled his earlier criticism of Tomas Gonzalez-Martin, a journalist for El Debate whom he identified as a voice representing the club's management.

According to Tebas, Real Madrid issued a statement on October 16 distancing itself from opinions expressed by external journalists. He subsequently demanded clarification over claims that La Liga was treating the club unfairly through its fixture scheduling.

The league president also called on Madrid to disclose their requests for fixture changes and reveal how many had been approved.

Tebas argued that Real Madrid TV's latest criticism of him, alongside the banner displayed at the Bernabeu, supported his earlier concerns about the club's messaging.

The confrontation follows another dispute involving Tebas and Real Madrid TV. The league president previously compared the channel's communication methods to propaganda techniques associated with the Nazi era, prompting criticism from Spain's Higher Sports Council president, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes, who called for an apology.

The Negreira reference has added another dimension to the disagreement. The controversy concerns payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to former refereeing official Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

Real Madrid have repeatedly scrutinised the case, which remains a contentious issue in Spanish football.

However, the banner's presence at the Bernabeu does not establish that Real Madrid organised or endorsed its message. Tebas is demanding that the club clarify its position as tensions between both parties continue.