Crying referees, build-up boycott: What is going on at Real Madrid before Copa del Rey final against Barcelona
File photo of referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea (R) with Real Madrid players during a Spanish La Liga match between Sevilla and Real Madrid at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville in October 2023. (AP)
Real Madrid
's bid to win the
Copa del Rey
for the 21st time, against arch-rivals
Barcelona
, took a massive twist on the eve of the clash at Sevilla's Estadio de La Cartuja.
Instead of the Copa del Rey final focusing on Real Madrid's much-needed title bid after the embarrassing exit in the Champions League vs Arsenal, it has taken an unexpected turn towards off-field matters with La Liga chief
Javier Tebas
also getting involved.
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What happened?
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Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
, the referee appointed for the Copa del Rey final, addressed the media before the final. Referees holding a press conference is unconventional and raised quite a few eyebrows - not least at the Santiago Bernabeu and among the Real Madrid faithful.
In the press conference, Bengoetxea became emotional while discussing the intense pressure he faces ahead of the match.
He was questioned about a video released by Real Madrid's Club channel, Real Madrid TV, which highlighted his supposed mistakes in previous matches against them. This season
RMTV
have hit out at refereeing mistakes frequently and the club has refused to make its players available for mandatory media bytes with the official broadcaster for La Liga.
When asked about the video, Bengoetxea could not hold back tears as he spoke about the impact on him and his family.
"When your son comes back from school and other kids have said to him that his father is a thief, it's really hard," he said. "They have no right to make us go through this, but it's not just something between professionals; a lot of families depend on this, and everyone should take some time to reflect on what they are doing."
Pablo Gonzalez Fuentes, who will serve as the VAR official for the Copa del Rey final, also criticised RMTV's actions. "They have to understand the consequences of these videos," he said, explaining that they lead to online campaigns against officials.
"We're seeing community managers on official social media platforms attacking the community for just one more like. We see actions by football players that suggest we're dishonest. When a journalist talks about 'theft,' fans take that frustration out on the child who's about to referee a youth team. We must address these types of situations and return to a healthier and cleaner style of football," he commented.
"The consequences are that when you talk about theft and bad language, the frustration you generate in the fans is paid for by the little boy or girl who grabs a whistle and has to officiate a junior's game. It's the consequence of putting the target on a teammate's head," he added.
What did Real Madrid do in response?
After the press conference by the officials, Real Madrid, who had finished training in the Spanish capital and were to leave for Seville later, went into a huddle on a possible response.
In retaliation, Real Madrid refused to hold their open training session at La Cartuja (scheduled for 8pm), a press conference with under-fire manager Carlo Ancelotti and a member of the squad. Additionally,
Florentino Perez
skipped the traditional presidents' dinner and the club missed the pre-match photo-call.
In a statement on the club website, Real Madrid said the complaints by the referees were 'unacceptable'. "These statements... made in a premeditated manner 24 hours before the final against one of the participants, demonstrate, once again, a clear and manifest animosity and hostility of these referees towards Real Madrid," said the Spanish league champions.
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Los Blancos took particular issue with the final's VAR referee Fuertes suggesting referees were "united" and looking to take collective action against the pressure they had received from Real Madrid TV.
"Even more surprising statements, in a threatening tone... to announce supposed measures or actions that are far removed from the principles of fairness, objectivity and impartiality that should prevail just hours before (the final)," continued Madrid's statement.
"In view of the seriousness of what has happened, Real Madrid hopes that those in charge of the RFEF and the refereeing profession will act accordingly, adopting the relevant measures in defence of the prestige of the institutions they represent."
What do Real Madrid want?
As per Spanish media, Real Madrid wanted the referees changed for the final and there were suggestions of the team pulling out of the competiiton and returning home.
However at 10pm local time, Real Madrid rubbished those suggestions and claimed this option hadn't been considered.
"In light of the rumours that have arisen in the last few hours, Real Madrid C.F. communicates that our team never considered refusing to play tomorrow's final.
"Real Madrid understands that football's values must prevail, despite the hostility and animosity that has today once again been shown against our club, by the referees appointed for the final," said the statement.
Madrid-based sports daily
AS
reported later there was a conversation between Rafael Louzan, president of the
Spanish FA
, which oversees the Copa del Rey, and Real Madrid camp. It claims that RFEF acknowledged the inappropriateness of the comments made by the referees and made clear that Fuertes will not officiate Real Madrid matches for the rest of the season while leaving his role at the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).
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