ABSTRACT
There are commonly held beliefs that the leagues in England, Spain and Italy are different. This chapter begins with a discussion related to these perceptions and particular associated cultural differences between the Premier League, Serie A and the Primera División. The chapter also considers the differences between domestic and European/international refereeing, the issues surrounding players ‘cheating’ and referees attempting to contend with ‘simulation’ across the leagues. In addition, the way that referees deal with perceived errors that they might make as well as how match officials are assessed are discussed here.
