Spanish journalist apologises to Real Madrid over controversial Gara remarks: ‘I withdraw the comparison, but…’

Spanish journalist Juanma Castano has apologized for comparing Real Madrid TV to the Basque newspaper Gara, after his comments sparked a strong reaction from Real Madrid. The journalist, who works for Cadena COPE, made the comparison in a column published by ABC, criticizing the way Real Madrid's official television channel has covered refereeing controversies.

The comparison came two days after the Madrid derby, where the performance of referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias was a major talking point. Real Madrid subsequently released a statement calling Castano's comparison "an extremely serious act that crosses all boundaries." Castano has now withdrawn that particular comparison, while asserting that he still maintains his broader criticism of Real Madrid TV.

He clarified that his opinion of the club's television channel remains unchanged, stating that the channel lies, manipulates, singles out, and harasses. Castano acknowledged that his comparison was excessive and unnecessary, apologizing specifically for comparing Real Madrid TV to the newspaper Gara.