A soccer referee in a red uniform appears in the foreground with a large red cross over him and a background showing a trophy and the words "Copa del Rey."
Soto Grado Crossed Out with Copa del Rey Background | Camara Didac Aguirre
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Soto Grado Withdraws From Copa Final, Decision After Mendizorroza Embarrassment

The Copa del Rey Will Have Another Referee for the Grand Final After César Soto Grado's Scandalous Work

by

Didac Aguirre

Real Madrid faced a more complicated match than desired during their visit to Mendizorroza. Achieving victory against Deportivo Alavés by the minimum, César Soto Grado's refereeing left much to be desired. Sending off Kylian Mbappé and Manuel Sánchez, his participation in the Copa del Rey has been put into question.

Being one of the options to referee the Copa del Rey final, Soto Grado has greatly reduced his chances. If it hadn't been for Gil Manzano in the VAR, Soto Grado's refereeing would have caused much more controversy. Questionable decisions, severe sanctions, and uncalled fouls were some of his countless errors.

Soccer referee in a blue uniform on a playing field.
César Soto Grado in Match | Didac Aguirre

While the referee for the Copa del Rey final has yet to be determined, Soto Grado is quite far from being chosen. For a match as important as a final, the presence of a much more prepared and knowledgeable referee is required.

Soto Grado's Mistakes

Refereeing in Spanish soccer has been much talked about throughout this season due to its controversies. Performing a more than questionable job, César Soto Grado has been one of the most criticized referees by the teams. Real Madrid, especially after the match against Alavés, is not at all happy with Soto Grado's performance.

Needing better referees for the prestigious Spanish competitions, it is evident that Soto Grado is one of the least prepared. Despite being 44 years old and having extensive experience in this field, Soto Grado has shown how little he has learned.

A soccer referee on the field pointing with his finger while wearing a red uniform.
César Soto Grado in Match | Didac Aguirre

The match at Mendizorroza will be remembered not only for the controversies but for potentially being the sentence for Soto Grado's future. With the Copa del Rey final drawing closer, it is evident that Soto Grado will not be the referee responsible for this match.

The Decision with Soto Grado

Having no hopes of being the referee for the Copa del Rey final, Soto Grado is suffering the consequences of his actions. Amid the multiple complaints from Spanish teams about the quality of refereeing, this is an opportunity to show a change.

➡️ First Team

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