The CTA Makes a Controversial Decision With the Copa del Rey Final at Stake

The referee appointment for the upcoming league match between Deportivo Alavés and Real Madrid has undergone a last-minute change that has caused controversy. The CTA had initially appointed Martínez Munuera as the main referee, placing Gil Manzano as the VAR official. The unexpected absence of the Valencian referee has forced the CTA to appoint the veteran César Soto Grado in his place.

This referee has been involved in multiple controversial episodes directly affecting Real Madrid. The most recent, without a doubt, is the expulsion of Vinícius at Mestalla after going to the VAR to review the clash between the verdeamarelo striker and the che goalkeeper, Stole Dimitrievski. This season, under Soto Grado's field direction, Real Madrid has only won one of the three matches they have played.

This appointment for Deportivo Alavés-Real Madrid takes on even greater significance because Soto Grado is one of Medina Cantalejo's favorites to referee the Copa del Rey final. The referee is nearing the end of his refereeing career, seeking renewal for one more year: officiating that Copa Clásico, at La Cartuja, would be the ideal closure to his career.

But from Real Madrid, they watch with concern this possible appointment. The entity presided over by Florentino Pérez believes that Soto Grado, whose name appears in the context of the 'Negreira case', should be part of the regeneration of the refereeing establishment in our country. The controversies surrounding Soto Grado do not end there.

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Mateu Lahoz recently revealed, on Cadena COPE, his involvement in internal meetings about the renewal of the refereeing leadership. Thus, Soto Grado "has said things"that wouldn't please the CTA president: in response, "it seems that now he bets on de Burgos Bengoetxea". The Basque referee, according to comments made by the former Valencian referee, would be seen as the least controversial and most acceptable alternative institutionally.

"It's possible that Soto himself has been involved in these meetings to promote David Fernández Borbalán and Roberto Alonso Fernández", noted Mateu Lahoz on COPE. That decision would put him at odds with the current CTA leadership, executives who had initially appointed him to referee the Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

The choice of César Soto Grado for Deportivo Alavés-Real Madrid, matchday 31 of LaLiga, comes amid the controversy over this season's Copa final. "That's why some media took it for granted that it was going to be Soto Grado, because if you look at the appointments, he was there... but now the name of de Burgos Bengoetxea has appeared", concluded Mateu Lahoz.

The appointment of Soto Grado to officiate the match against Alavés further fuels the existing tensions between the white club and the Technical Committee of Referees. Real Madrid, which keeps its proposal for a complete and total renewal of Spanish refereeing, notes the increase in controversy with this choice that will give much to talk about these days.