Villarreal CF was omitted from the on-screen graphics of Spanish public broadcaster RTVE during its coverage of the Champions League matchweek. The flagship Telediario news programme, presented by Lourdes Maldonado and Paco Caro, displayed a graphic titled 'Semana Champions' featuring the crests of four Spanish teams: FC Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid, Real Betis and Real Madrid. Villarreal's crest was absent, despite the team being scheduled to host SSC Napoli at La Cerámica that same evening.
Presenter Paco Caro referenced the four top LaLiga sides qualified for Europe's premier competition without mentioning the Yellow Submarine. The omission sparked immediate criticism on social media and was condemned by Vicente Martínez Mus, the third vice president and councillor for Environment, Infrastructures, Territory, and Recovery of the Valencian Government. Martínez Mus posted on Facebook, stating: "Lo de La 1 de TVE con el Villarreal es insultante. No sé si es falta de profesionalidad o ignorancia.".
Sporting context
The televised oversight comes during a period of inconsistent form for the team. Villarreal CF sit 11th in La Liga with 8 points from eight games, following a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid on 10 October.
The media controversy contrasts with the club's sporting reality as a participant in the Champions League group stage. The omission on a national news broadcast has been seen by supporters as a sign of disrespect towards a project that has achieved notable European success in recent years. The club must now focus on the match against Elche and block out external distractions.
Background and full detail: elperiodicomediterraneo.com
