Cristóbal Soria Makes Serious Accusations Against Mateu Lahoz, Real Madrid Involved

It is common for soccer professionals to move directly into the media as analysts and commentators after they end their elite sports careers. This trend has not only applied to players who now populate practically all sports media, but it also relates to other responsibilities.

One of the most recognizable in this regard is Cristóbal Soria. The Sevilla commentator, very close to FC Barcelona and distant from Real Madrid, was a field delegate for the Sevilla entity for many years... before leaving the Andalusian team and making a living in other areas as he does now on "El Chiringuito de Jugones".

Always ready to put on a show, Cristóbal Soria has made some truly controversial statements about a very famous former referee from our country: Antonio Mateu Lahoz. This former referee, retired in 2023, is now a referee analyst at Cadena COPE. "When his European refereeing career ends, due to age, the CTA and RFEF have the power to allow him through an invitation to continue for as many years as he wants" as a referee in Spain.

"He continues for a first year, and the following year when RFEF and the CTA have the possibility to invite him again, to continue officiating for another year", a change occurs. Cristóbal Soria reveals "as information", how "members of the CTA go from Madrid to Valencia, to his hometown, and sit with him and invite him to leave refereeing".

The Controversy Continues

The Sevilla commentator reveals that "one of the reasons" is the publication of the VAR audios. According to Cristóbal Soria, the CTA tells Mateu Lahoz that "we can't allow you to call among other teams Kroos by Toni, Modric by Luka, Courtois by Thibaut...". Essentially, the CTA wanted to prevent Mateu from "calling the Madrid players among other teams by their first names".

Especially because, according to Cristóbal Soria, Mateu Lahoz called "the players of Athletic Club de Bilbao, Sevilla, and Betis" by their jersey numbers... without even bothering to read the name printed on the jersey. That "information" from Cristóbal Soria, however, doesn't only apply to the white team as the Sevilla commentator points out.

Because Antonio Mateu Lahoz became known for remembering the first names of many players he refereed throughout his career... including footballers from FC Barcelona like Messi. There are many images featuring the former Valencian referee in which he can be seen calling "Leo" to the former '10' of FC Barcelona.

Be that as it may, it is not the last controversy in which the now former Valencian referee appears as a protagonist. His recent criticisms of the Spanish refereeing system, speaking bluntly about the 'Negreira case', have provoked an immediate reaction from the refereeing community in our country through a striking statement.