Jimbee Cartagena has issued a strongly statement today. To express “his discomfort” and officially lodge “a complaint to the Royal Spanish Football Federation” regarding the refereeing in last Sunday’s Copa del Rey final. According to sources from the melon club, they waited four days before publicly addressing the actions of Diego Martínez García and Tomás Santander Flamarique to avoid undermining Real Betis’s victory or making excuses for their own defeat. “This is not a tantrum,” they emphasized, noting the need for “constructive criticism to improve refereeing standards and the functioning of technological support.”
Once again, referees are at the center of controversy following a tournament. Recently, Barça’s general manager, Jordi Torras, also criticized referees Juan José Cordero Gallardo and Pedro Carrillo Arroyo after winning the Spanish Cup. Less than two months later, Jimbee Cartagena has voiced concerns about “an unprecedented action in professional futsal in our country”. Which they believe deviates from the intended role of referees and video assistant referees (VAR) in ensuring justice.
Cartagena Statement
In their statement, Jimbee Cartagena aims to prevent “a dangerous precedent” from being set in the sport, particularly in high-stakes matches like the recent final. The controversial incident occurred with 5:54 remaining in the first half when Pablo Ramírez collided with Betis center Jorge Carrasco. Real Betis coach Ramón Martínez requested a video review, and while one referee stated clearly, “nothing for me”. The other covered his mouth and whispered instructions, eventually leading to a penalty and a yellow card for the Jimbee player. Manolo Piqueras scored from the penalty spot, making it 1-2.
Post-match, Jimbee Cartagena’s coach Eduardo Sao Thiago, known as Duda, remarked, “I have not seen the play” but acknowledged that “referee errors shouldn’t affect the game.” Four days later, the team argued that the referee’s initial decision should only be overturned if video review clearly shows a manifest error. Which was not the case here, as there was disagreement among the referees themselves.
Jimbee Cartagena used “completely objective criteria established by the Royal Spanish Football Federation” to argue that referees Martínez García and Santander Flamarique did not properly follow the guidelines provided before the competition. They harshly criticized the “lack of transparency” when Santander Flamarique covered his mouth and moved away from the microphone multiple times. The club has requested that “appropriate measures” be taken by the relevant authorities. However, it appears that Pedro Galán, president of the National Technical Commission of Futsal Referees, will ignore this request, as the same referees are scheduled to officiate an upcoming playoff match.
Interview
In a Cope Cartagena interview, Jimbee president Miguel Ángel Jiménez acknowledged the complexity of refereeing. But emphasized the need for adherence to established guidelines and transparency. He stated that while the penalty favored Real Betis, the team had enough time to play better and warned that they are not seeking to complain but to ensure compliance with the RFEF’s guidelines.
The controversy highlights ongoing issues with the implementation of Video Instant Replay (VIR) in Spanish futsal. Despite promises from the RFEF since 2019 to install VIR in all League matches, it has only been used in select tournaments. The estimated cost of implementing VIR in the First Division is around 500,000 euros, a significant expenditure the RFEF is currently unwilling to make despite its potential to improve competition.