It's Official: With This Referee, Winning the Copa del Rey Against Barça Will Be a Miracle

One of the Last Unknowns Ahead of the Copa del Rey Final, which brings together Real Madrid and FC Barcelona for that match, was in the Referee Team. The latest debates led by the leaders of the refereeing body in our country offered two different versions: César Soto Grado for Seniority or Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea for a Political Reason.

Finally, given the notable and notorious differences between Soto Grado and the Leadership of the Technical Committee of Referees, it will be Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea who is chosen to officiate that final. In fact, this referee from the Basque committee should have refereed last edition's final... a match he missed because one of the participants was Athletic Club de Bilbao.

That's why Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea has now become the favorite of the organization chaired by Luis Medina Cantalejo to administer justice in the third Clásico of this season. However, many Real Madrid fans believe that this CTA choice will keep them more alert than usual given the long history of controversies he has recorded against the team.

Not only because of the questioned decisions of Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. The referee would be part of the referees affected by the 'Negreira case', an investigation that has led Real Madrid to request a total and unconditional renewal of the Spanish refereeing system. In those 2016 reports in which the Basque referee is mentioned, prepared by Javier Enríquez Negreira, he is described as a referee who "lacks personality and experience".

We'll See What Happens

Players are also encouraged to "talk a lot with him", constantly seeking interactions and staying on good terms with Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. The reason, those documents by Javier Enríquez Negreira point out, is the need for "player approval" that the Basque referee would have. In 25 matches refereed by de Burgos Bengoetxea, Real Madrid has achieved victory 16 times, losing five matches and recording up to four draws.

His most memorable controversy, without a doubt, occurred in the Valencia-Real Madrid match of the 22/23 season. During a part of the match, some of the fans gathered at Mestalla hurled racist insults at Vinícius Jr., who reported it to activate the anti-racism protocol. Additionally, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea was left unsupported by his VAR colleague that afternoon, Iglesias Villanueva, who provided "biased images" of the brawl following that incident according to Justice.

The Bilbao referee, both from the VAR room and on the field, has stopped calling very clear penalties and fouls in favor of Real Madrid, as well as cautioning opponents. One of the most remembered infractions is the slap to Fran García, in the match against Espanyol on matchday 6 of this League: de Burgos Bengoetxea saw nothing.

The Copa del Rey Final Will Be the Fourth Clásico for Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. Two of those matches were played at Spotify Camp Nou, although only one ended with a Real Madrid victory: the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup final in 2017. The rest are counted as Barcelona victories: the LaLiga Clásico of the 22/23 season ended 2-1 and the Spanish Super Cup final of that season ended 1-3.