La Liga referees are now explaining their decisions in televised post-match interviews. It is an idea Scottish football should be taking seriously.

The Spanish initiative began on the weekend of October 31, with officials speaking after Levante’s match against Atlético Madrid and the Basque derby between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad.

Two fixtures are selected in advance each matchday, with interviews carried by broadcasters DAZN and Movistar Plus+.

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The arrangement includes a collective €500,000 bonus fund, providing a financial incentive for officials taking part. It builds on pre-match interviews already introduced this season.

There is plenty to like about it.

Supporters spend hours debating penalties, missed fouls, red cards and VAR interventions, often without hearing from the person who made the decision.

A short interview would at least explain what the referee saw, which part of the laws they applied and why they reached their conclusion.

Fans would still disagree. But they would have an explanation to assess.

We have already seen Scottish officials speak on television in different circumstances.

When Celtic’s trip to Aberdeen was postponed in February, fourth official Greg Soutar explained the decision after inspecting the Pittodrie surface.

He outlined the problems with the ground and the concerns over player safety. Supporters could hear directly why the game could not go ahead.

Explaining a controversial penalty after a heated match would clearly be a different challenge. That does not mean it should be beyond consideration.

There would need to be an agreement with officials and broadcasters over payment, timing and the scope of the questions. Spain has built those arrangements into its approach.

Whether Scottish referees would welcome the same responsibility is another matter. There is no reason to assume a similar system will arrive here anytime soon.

Still, starting with two predetermined matches would be manageable. It would also avoid selecting a referee for interview only because a particular decision had caused an uproar.

Managers and players routinely have to explain difficult afternoons. Referees could contribute to that conversation, too.

Scottish football could learn plenty from watching how the Spanish scheme develops. A few minutes of clear explanation would be more useful than another week spent guessing what an official was thinking.