Last night, rumors began circulating on social media about whether Real Madrid would play in the Copa del Rey final. Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, known for covering European football, was frequently posting updates on the situation. Eventually, deep into the night (Bangladesh time), Real Madrid confirmed they would be playing in the final via an official statement, bringing an end to the stalemate.
The trouble before this was already well-known. According to ESPN sources, Real Madrid had requested the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to replace referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea for the match. However, Spanish media reported that RFEF had refused this request. An RFEF source denied such a request to ESPN. Nevertheless, Real Madrid didn’t take kindly to the comments made by de Burgos Bengoetxea and VAR chief Pablo González Fuertes at a press conference before the final. The club issued a strong statement calling their comments “unacceptable.”
So, why is Real Madrid so upset with this referee? Why was there so much controversy surrounding the referee’s press conference before the final?
To understand this, we have to go back a bit. After it was confirmed that Bengoetxea would be the main referee for the Copa del Rey final, Real Madrid TV aired an analytical video focusing on his past mistakes in matches against Real Madrid. This video had a negative impact on Bengoetxea’s personal life. During a press conference on Friday, the referee broke down in tears, discussing how the media reports, including those from Real Madrid TV, affected him.
Bengoetxea explained that his child returned home from school crying because other children had called his father a “thief.” He said, “We have been watching the videos from Real Madrid TV very carefully, and this is the reaction it has provoked. I won’t say anything else. I’ll tell you what happened with my colleagues, and then you can judge for yourselves because I want an answer.”
He continued, “When your child goes to school and other kids call him a thief, and he returns home crying, that’s really awful. What I try to do is teach my child that his father is an honorable man. Even honorable people, like all athletes, make mistakes. I don’t want anyone to go through this. But when I leave here, I want my child to be proud of his father and his refereeing.”
Bengoetxea further added, “Refereeing has given us so much. We don’t have the right to go through such experiences.”
VAR chief Pablo González Fuertes also addressed the situation, stating, “What was said on Real Madrid TV is the result of that. Strangers on social media are sending threats. The club’s official social media managers are regularly attacking us. Players have also given statements, which has led to the belief that we are not honest in our decisions.” Fuertes warned, “We are now more united than before. We must protect our honor. But there’s no doubt we’ll start taking action. We can’t allow this to continue, and you’ll see more in the coming days.”
It’s common for Real Madrid TV to air analytical videos pointing out referee errors before big matches. However, the club did not accept the comments made by Bengoetxea and Fuertes. In their statement, they referred to the public statements made by the referees before the Copa del Rey final as “unacceptable.” The club also accused the referees of showing hostility toward Real Madrid.
An anonymous source from Real Madrid told The Athletic that the club expected Bengoetxea and Fuertes to be removed from the match, but RFEF confirmed to the same outlet that no such request had been made.
In English football, it’s rare to see referees speak to the media before a match. However, in Spanish football, press conferences for match officials before the Copa del Rey final have been happening for several years.
Real Madrid has consistently raised its voice whenever there have been controversial decisions involving referees. Club president Florentino Pérez has spoken about this on several occasions. In February, after a 1-0 loss to Espanyol in La Liga, Real Madrid filed a complaint with RFEF about two referee decisions they disagreed with. The club was upset that Espanyol’s Carlos Romero wasn’t given a red card and that Vinícius’s goal was disallowed. Real Madrid TV even claimed that these decisions proved that the head of the refereeing technical committee in Spain, Luis Medina, was conspiring against the club. They also demanded the resignation of RFEF president Rafael Luján and the firing of Spain’s VAR chief Carlos Gómez.
A similar video was also made about Bengoetxea, but for now, the situation has calmed down. However, it remains like a dormant volcano—no one knows when it might erupt again.
