Real Madrid and Referees Face Off Ahead of Copa del Rey Final

Tensions are high ahead of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona after a public clash between the club and the appointed referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

De Burgos Bengoetxea spoke out at a press conference, visibly emotional, about the impact of criticism from Real Madrid TV and other media outlets on him and his family. He shared a heartbreaking story about his son coming home from school in tears after classmates called him a “thief” due to videos highlighting perceived refereeing errors against Real Madrid circulated by the club’s TV channel.

De Burgos Bengoetxea condemned the attacks, emphasizing the emotional toll they take on him and his family, and calling for reflection on the treatment of referees in football.

Real Madrid, in response, issued a statement condemning De Burgos Bengoetxea’s public comments, accusing him and his colleagues of animosity and hostility towards the club. They expressed concern about the referee’s impartiality and hinted at potential actions against the officiating team.

The situation escalated further with Real Madrid canceling a scheduled press conference and skipping official pre-match events organized by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

However, the RFEF president, Rafael Louzán, clarified that Real Madrid had not formally requested a change in the officiating team. He confirmed a “friendly” conversation with Real Madrid’s director general, José Ángel Sánchez, where no such request was made.

Louzán strongly emphasized the autonomy of the RFEF’s Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) in appointing officials, stating that the decision to assign De Burgos Bengoetxea to the final was final and would not be changed.

Despite the controversy, Louzán expressed confidence that the Copa del Rey final would be a great match, focusing on the excitement and anticipation surrounding the highly anticipated clash.