Primera División Femenina referees went ahead with their strike and failed to show for Saturday of Matchday 1 of Liga F.

Matchday 1 of the new Liga F suspended

NurPhoto via Getty Images

However, teams still attended each match on time, waiting fifteen minutes before calling the contest off. Then, each side signed a letter affirming what had happened.

Below is an image of the letter signed by Real Madrid and Villarreal, who were supposed to play today at 4 pm local time.

Full translation of body text:

As it is 4:30 p.m. and being gathered at the sports facilities of the Mini Stadium of the Villareal CF Sports City, which was indicated to the RFEF for the celebration of the match corresponding to the first day of the national league championship of the Women’s First Division, Mrs. Sandra Vilanova Tous, in her capacity as delegate of the Villareal Club de Fútbol, with a license authorized by the RFEF, and Mrs. Noelia Morales González, in her capacity as delegate of the Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, with a license authorized by the RFEF, STATE:

1. That in accordance with the regulations, the members of both teams are in person at the aforementioned facilities from 2:30 p.m.

2. That none of the members of the arbitration team designated by the Technical Committee of Referees have appeared, not finding any referee to be able to officiate the match.

3. That both entities, after consultation with their representatives, have decided to suspend the meeting due to the absence of the arbitration team.

4. That they inform the Professional Women’s Football League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the Technical Committee of Referees, and the Competition Committee of the Women’s First Division of the aforementioned exceptional situation that has made it impossible to dispute the match and led to the suspension of the match, and the regulatory and disciplinary consequences must be applied according to the established regulations.

Under the letter, Noelia Morales González, Madrid’s official delegate, hand wrote the following [translated]:

Real Madrid is not satisfied with the application of disciplinary measures since the referees are exercising the right to strike.

Her words appear to be a statement against the last line of the letter: “and the regulatory and disciplinary consequences must be applied according to the established regulations” [emphasis added].

This affirms the solidarity shared between the teams, players, and match officials, subtly pointing out that this is a power struggle between two organizations as much as anything else.