Real Madrid open war with Spanish journalist over controversial remarks: ‘Should look at himself in the mirror’
· Yahoo Sports
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The confrontation between Real Madrid and journalist Juanma Castao has escalated further.
Earlier today, the Spanish capital club published a 3-minute, 14-second video on their social media channels dedicated entirely to the COPE journalist.
It contains no accompanying text and opens by showing an opinion piece Castano published in ABC under the headline ‘Real Madrid, at war’.
In that article, the journalist described Real Madrid TV as “the Gara newspaper of ultra-Florentinismo”, a comparison that prompted a strongly worded statement from the club.
Real Madrid described it as “absolutely deplorable and unacceptable” and warned that they reserved the right to take whatever measures they deemed appropriate.
An apology that failed to end the dispute
Castano eventually apologised for the comparison, but stood by the substance of his criticism, wherein he maintained that he believed RMTV ‘lies, manipulates, and harrasses’.
That final claim is now the thread running through the club’s video.
Real Madrid respond to each of those accusations with different episodes from the journalist’s career, using their own arguments to accuse him of the same behaviour he attributes to the club’s official channel.
Kroos’ response and Isco’s anger
One of the first examples recalled involves Toni Kroos during the most recent Real Madrid presidential elections.
Castano had claimed that Enrique Riquelme’s campaign was attempting to bring the German into its project. The former footballer responded with three Pinocchio emojis, a reaction the video presents as a direct rebuttal of the journalist’s report.
The video also goes back to 2018 to recall Castano’s commentary after Real Madrid’s qualification against Juventus.
Following the penalty awarded to Lucas Vazquez in the 93rd minute, the presenter opened his programme by saying that Real Madrid had reached the semi-finals “amid a scandal of global proportions that could be remembered for many years”.
Real Madrid contrast those comments with Castano’s reaction to Barcelona’s comeback against PSG, a match marked by several controversial decisions from referee Deniz Aytekin.
Castano described the 6-1 victory as “a date for the history of sport”, “an achievement” and “an unforgettable match”.
The comparison prompted a public response from Isco, who was playing for Real Madrid at the time. “One profession, two different standards. Shameful,” the midfielder wrote on social media alongside the two clips.
The comments about Vinicius
The montage also revisits harsh criticism Castano directed at Vinicius Jr. after another Madrid derby. “Vinicius has no solution. He has no solution,” he said at the time.
The journalist acknowledged that the Brazilian was “one of the best footballers in the world”, but argued that “he will never be admired by anyone who isn’t a Real Madrid supporter”.
He also added: “If there’s an idiot in the stands, the person on the pitch can’t become an idiot too.”
The club includes these comments after Castano accused RMTV of “singling people out” and “harassing” them. Real Madrid also challenged the claim that the channel harasses its supporters, including Madrid fans in Catalonia.
Athenea del Castillo and Ana Peleteiro
Another episode highlighted in the video involves Athenea del Castillo. During an interview, Castano asked the then-Real Madrid player about the nickname “Athenea del Caudillo” that she had been given on social media and asked her: “What’s going on, are you a fascist?”
“It’s disrespectful, but I don’t care. I laugh about it. If they think calling me ‘Athenea del Caudillo’ or saying I play on the far right is going to hurt me, they’re very wrong,” the Spain international replied.
The video ends by recalling another controversial comment from the journalist: “Footballers can’t get up at night to look after their children.” Castano defended his position by arguing that players depend on their rest and should organise nighttime childcare “in another way”.
Those comments received a response years later from athlete Ana Peleteiro. “How dangerous it is to turn a personal decision into a universal truth,” she wrote, arguing that it is possible to care for children while continuing to perform at the highest sporting level.
“A journalist known to everyone who continues to lecture others should look at himself in the mirror,” Real Madrid concludes in a video that turns its dispute with Castaño into a public denunciation.
Following the club’s official statement and the response issued by Real Madrid TV, the club have now chosen to amplify the conflict through their official social media accounts.