La Liga referees to give post-match interviews from this weekend

Spanish football fans will witness a historic first this weekend, as La Liga referees begin giving post-match interviews. The Spanish top flight already introduced pre-match referee interviews at the start of this season, and now the league is taking the next step by allowing officials to speak to the media after full-time.

According to reports from DAZN and As, at least two referees will face the cameras after matches this weekend. One confirmed fixture is the Basque derby between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, which kicks off on Sunday at 21:00 at San Mamés. The referee for that match will give a post-match interview.

The initiative is led by the Spanish refereeing commission, with the aim of protecting and promoting the good image of match officials. It marks the first time in the history of Spanish football that referees have been interviewed after top-flight matches.

La Liga has been keen to increase transparency and improve communication around refereeing decisions. The pre-match interviews, introduced earlier this season, were already an unusual step in European football. Extending them to post-match will give referees a chance to explain key moments directly to supporters.

It remains to be seen whether this becomes a regular feature across all La Liga matches or is limited to select games. For now, football fans in Croatia and beyond will be watching closely to see how the new approach unfolds.