The Atletico Madrid president made the comments in Stuttgart ahead of his club’s Champions League meeting with VfB Stuttgart, amid renewed tension between Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and LaLiga chief Javier Tebas.
“I think in football, generally, there shouldn’t be wars, and even less so between the leaders,” Cerezo said, according to Europa Press. “I think it’s something they have to resolve and, as everything revolves around the referees, from my point of view they should remove VAR so there are no problems with the referees.”
Cerezo’s remarks came during a wider debate about how Spanish football handles contentious decisions. Real Madrid have repeatedly raised concerns about refereeing, while other clubs have also questioned the consistency of decisions and the use of video reviews.
The Atlético president acknowledged that complaints are part of the game, including from his own club, but defended officials against suggestions that mistakes necessarily reflect wrongdoing.
“Everyone complains about everything. Some more than others,” he said. “We have complained ourselves. The referees make mistakes when they don’t see something.”
Cerezo was also asked about the recent incident involving Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler and Sevilla’s Peque, which prompted debate over whether the referee should have taken stronger action.
“I saw it clearly, but perhaps the referee didn’t,” Cerezo said.
His comments were not limited to officiating. Cerezo also expressed confidence in Atlético’s recent form and backed the team to maintain its momentum, while reiterating the club’s ambition to win the Champions League.
He praised Diego Simeone’s achievements as Atlético manager, saying the European title remained the major prize still missing from their shared list of ambitions.
“Diego has proved everything. He has achieved everything, and what remains for all of us is to win the Champions League. That is what we are working towards,” Cerezo said.
The president also pointed to the significance of playing in Stuttgart, where Atlético previously won a European trophy, describing the setting as a source of confidence for the squad.
Atlético subsequently drew 1-1 with Stuttgart, with Julián Álvarez equalising after Jamie Leweling had given the German side the lead.