Isaac Fouto, as he perceives himself, is usually known for the refereeing controversies that take place in Spanish football every week. However, his work as a sports journalist goes beyond the tense discussions in radio shows such as ‘El Tertulión de los Domingos’, that go trending topic on the social media afterwards.
Currently at Cadena COPE (‘Tiempo de Juego’ and ‘El Partidazo’) and at LaLiga TV through Movistar Fútbol as the journalist on the field for the fixtures of both Spanish LaLiga EA Sports and LaLiga Hypermotion, Isaac has specialized himself on the refereeing rules, apart from following the news from the two main Spanish football institutions LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation, which are usually confronted with each other.
Used to argue and defend the refereeing job, Isaac Fouto gives an interview to ELXIIDEAL where he reviews the latest from LaLiga and its referees.
Where does your passion for journalism come from?
Isaac Fouto: We have always been a huge footbal fan family. In fact, my father was the President for my hometown’s team Mérida and I always went to all their games. I used to play with all my brothers (we are five in total), but I was the worst one. I do not mean that I became a journalist for this reason, but yes indeed I loved to be around the journalists that covered my team during the games and keep track of their work. Later on, when I came to Madrid to study the journalism degree, I had the chance to do my workship at COPE, and here is where I am still today.
Where does you specialization in the refereeing rules come from?
Isaac Fouto: A great friend of mine, who is a referee, introduced me to this word. It all started when I first went to cover the referees’ physical tryouts. That was something that no one else paid attention to.
Do you think that it is important at the media places and shows to have journalists that know the refereeing rules in order to add more objective perspectives?
Isaac Fouto: I think that the players themselves do not even know about the refereeing rules. For example, Marcos Llorente himself said after the derby against Real Madrid that he does not know the rules for some actions. Can you imagine a lawyer that does not know the laws? A football player must know the rules. And so the journalists that talk about it.
“I think that the players themselves do not even know about the refereeing rules”
Isaac Fouto, asked if the journalists should know more about the refereeing rules
Do you think that current sports journalism is too biased by scarf journalism? Maybe is because it sells more?
Isaac Fouto: This has changed a lot. I come from a journalist where you were not allowed to talk in first person under José María García or José Ramón de la Morena with comments such as “they have stolen as a penalty”. To say your team was absolutely forbidden because then it was understood that you were not qualified to talk about that team for lack of objectivity.
Now this has developed a lot, because now there are way more TV and radio shows and so scarf journalists, which with I have a lot of fun by the way. In the end, they represent a part of the viewers/listeners.
“I come from a journalism where it was absolutely forbidden to say your team”
It is getting harder nowadays to get individual interviews to the players in the main media. Is there any solution to change this trend?
Isaac Fouto: This trend will unlikely change, because nowadays there are too much media. As a result, the clubs see themselves forced to dose the players, and so the opinion and gathering increase.
However, we see in the behavior from our audience that, unless the interview is to someone very important, they prefer to listen to Paco González, Manolo Lama or Juanma Castaño.
What is the biggest challenge that you face every day to prepare ‘El Partidazo’? What do you think that makes the difference with your competitors?
Isaac Fouto: I think that what makes the difference is the fact that we are a very spontaneous show. We just sit in the radio studio every nigh at 23:30 and we do not know what it is going to happen. From my point of view, Juanma Castaño is currently the star journalist in the night, way ahead of the rest, for his charisma and way of transmitting. There is also a great squad behind that work a lot.
Regarding to the preparation of the show, i all relies on the specific day and the time of the season. It is always way easier when there are games.
“From my point of view, Juanma Castaño is currently the star journalist in the night, way ahead of the rest, for his charisma and way of transmitting”
Regarding to your job at LaLiga TV, you are the only one who is actually at the stadium during the broadcast of the game, which makes your work to be key. How do you prepare the games and what kind of comments do you look to make in order to improve the coverage?
Isaac Fouto: My games’ preparation is based on checking the report from Mediacoach and checking the newspapers from both teams.
What level do you think that Spanish referees hold right now compared to the rest of top European leagues?
Isaac Fouto: To be honest, I mostly follow Spanish football and barely watch any other international leagues. For that reason, it would not be fair for me to compare our refereeing level to the rest of the leagues, because I do not follow them (and I can’t believe that there are people who supposedly watch it all).
My barometer to measure Spanish refereeing in Europe is the Champions League, where the best referees participate, including the ones from Spain. In fact, we are the country with the most referees in this competition along with Germany (half of the referees in Spain are also international). This is a clear prove that we are a very important league at the international level refereeing wise. And there is the same case with the VAR, where it is a disaster in England.
You must take into account that we have 21 games with VAR every week in LaLiga. It is almost impossible to not have any controversy after a full fixture, but I think that refereeing in Spain is at a great level.
“We are a very important league at the international level refereeing wise”
Do you think that football has improved since the addition of the VAR? Is it a more fair sport?
Isaac Fouto: I think yes, because even though there are still some mistakes, clear actions are unlikely to be called the wrong way. However, there is more noise and controversy because people believe that there should not be any mistakes with technology.
Do you consider that it is being used the right way? Is it too much used?
Isaac Fouto: The VAR is used too much or not at all depending on how each team feels in a different game. I personally like the VAR that does not interfere too much and allows the referee on the field to make the final call on doubtful actions. That is to say that I believe that the VAR should only interfere on clear actions.
“I personally like the VAR that does not interfere too much and allows the referee on the field to make the final call on doubtful actions”
At the beginning of the season, the refereeing main President in Spain Medina Cantalejo said that ‘tiny penalties’ would not be called this season. Do you think that they are not being given?
Isaac Fouto: I think that ‘tiny penalties’ are usually not being called this season. In fact, the VAR usually rules them out. Right now, most of the penalties given are for handballs, and I am against that. Right now, handballs are the most perverse part of the rules.
“I think that tiny penalties are usually not being called this season”
Do you think that Real Madrid can feel damaged refereeing wise for the three penalties that they asked for in their last derby against Atlético? And is it Savic’s goal well cancelled?
Isaac Fouto: Probably those actions (the penalties that Real Madrid asked for) should have been punished on the field, but I do not think that the VAR should have interfered. That is the way the Spanish refereeing see it as well. In the end, the VAR must interfere in clear actions that make us all agree with each other, and this was not the case (this does not mean that they were not penalties, but that it is not a mistake from the VAR to not interfere if the referee considered on the field that they were not enough to be called).
Regarding to Savic’s goal, it is correctly cancelled, and the call comes from the referees on the field. According to the rules, that action is well cancelled and there is no debate on it.
What do you think of the players and coaches when they constantly say that they do not know which handballs must be punished and which ones not? (despite they assist to refereeing lessons before every season)
Isaac Fouto: I believe that handballs are currently the hardest aspect to understand, because there are too many assumptions. The biggest challenge for referees right now in football’s rules are the handballs.
“The biggest challenge for referees right now in football’s rules are the handballs”
What is your opinion on Xavi asking in the press conferences that he only ones the referees to let them compete and that they are paying for ‘Negreira’s case’?
Isaac Fouto: I think that those are very sad statements, just as Laporta’s saying that the competition is adulterated. Barça do not compete because they are a worst team than last year’s. If they would be paying for ‘Negreira’s case’, they would now be relegated to the Second Division.
We must remind that Xavi won LaLiga title last season because they were the best team in the competition, with the same referees of now, of which he now doubts, even though ‘Negreira’s case’ had already exploded by this time last year.
“Barça do not compete because they are a worst team than last year’s. If they would be paying for ‘Negreira’s case, they would now be relegated to the Second Division”
Is it Yángel Herrera’s goal for Girona against Real Sociedad correctly disallowed?
Isaac Fouto: According to the VAR’s protocol, it is perfectly disallowed, as it takes place within the same offensive phase, even though it happens some seconds later.
Big teams are usually more benefited refereeing wise for you in a full season? Why?
Isaac Fouto: They used to before, but now is not the case with the VAR. At least, it is more unlikely to happen. You must also take into account that big teams attack more, and so there is a bigger chance that referees make mistakes in their opposite box that end up advantaging them.
I know well the referees and I can assure you that they try to do their job the best they can. They pay for their mistakes, as they get punished without games and can be relegated as well. I think that we should be more comprehensive with them because they have also too much in play with their performances.
“I assure you that referees try to do their job the best they can. They have too much in play”
And are the players/coaches from the big teams more able to protest for the referees’ decisions in the media? Are they more protected than the rest?
Isaac Fouto: This is a different topic. This is a legal debate, because their statement must be direct and can’t have any other interpretation in order to be punished. That is why most of the times, they are not suspended. Yes indeed, I would claim them all.
Do you agree with the fact that VAR audios are now being released? Does this help at all?
Isaac Fouto: This helps in transparency, and proves that the VAR conversations are normal.
And wouldn’t it be better for the referees to give interviews after the games in order to explain their calls?
Isaac Fouto: I think is is better if the audios are just released, because we would only ask the referees when there are controversial decisions.
Do you perceive lack of self criticism from the referees when reviewing right and wrong calls each season?
Isaac Fouto: I do not think they lack self criticism. In the end, they meet up every week and I can tell you that they are critic in those meetings.
What do you think of Xavi announcing half way into the season his departure in June?
Isaac Fouto: I think that he is looking for a team’s reaction. Barça have too much to play for. They really need to make it to the Champions League and at least advance to the quarter finals this year in order to put up with their budgets. If they do not pull this off, they will probably have to sell some of their stars.
“Barça have a lot to play for”
Quick questions and answers to end the interview:
Football with or without VAR:
With VAR.
Best referee in LaLiga currently:
Gil Manzano.
Agree or disagree with the VAR audios release:
Agree.
Should the referees give interviews after their games just like the coaches?
Never.
Rate from 1 to 10 the referees’ performances so far in LaLiga this season:
8.5.
Main candidate for the title:
Real Madrid.
Revelation team of the season:
Girona.
Disappointing team:
Sevilla.
Best signing:
Dovbyk.
Would you like Girona to win LaLiga?
I would love to.
Which three teams will go down this season?
Almería, Granada and the other one I leave it to you.
Your favorite stadium in LaLiga:
San Mamés.
Will the Super League be a reality one day?
No. Never.
Complete the sentence: Xavi as a coach is…
He is a coach that still needs to learn a lot.
Has he made a bad decision by announcing half way into the season his departure from Barça’s bench in June?
Yes.
Best team in the world right now:
Real Madrid.
Will Mbappé play for Real Madrid next season?
I hope so.
Messi or Cristiano:
Messi.
Haaland or Mbappé:
Haaland.
Guardiola or Mourinho:
Guardiola.
Luis Enrique or Luis de la Fuente:
Luis de la Fuente.
Main candidate for the Champions League:
Real Madrid.
Should Isco be called up for the EURO’s?
Absolutely, he is having an outstanding season.
Last question. How far can Spain get in the EURO’s?
I hope to the final, but I think that we will be kicked out in the semifinals.
Translated by Guillermo Bermejo.
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