Real Madrid reject Copa del Rey rumours amid suspension rumour
Real Madrid have moved to end rumours over the club refusing to play in this weekend's Copa del Rey final with Barcelona.
Los Blancos have caused a storm in the last 24 hours following the explosion of their row with the RFEF over the referee choice for the final.
Advertisement
Real Madrid were irked by the decision to name Ricardo de Burgoes Bengoetxea as the match referee and Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes as VAR.
The club believe the decision should be reviewed ahead of the final and they submitted a formal request to the RFEF as a sensational twist before the showdown with La Blaugrana.
The issue focused on Gonzalez Fuertes, the VAR for the final, and his criticism of their infamous referee videos released by Real Madrid TV before selected games, with Burgoes Bengoetxea in tears in a press conference due to the criticism and the pressure he has been receiving.
Image via Juanjo Martín / Diario AS
As the saga rolled on, Real Madrid demanded a last minute change of officials, as the stakes were ramped up, with tonight's training session and press conference cancelled.
Advertisement
The stand-off has had placed the game in doubt with reports from Relevo claiming they will refuse to play in the final completely, unless a solution is reached.
Florentino Perez will also not attend the traditional pre-game dinner ahead of the match and Los Blancos fans will await an update.
As Real Madrid fans waited for an update, the club have stepped in with a confirmation they will play the final, as they refute the rumours surrounding the issue.
Carlo Ancelotti's team were reportedly in danger of being banned from the competition, with the RFEF prepared to sanction a rescheduled final between Barcelona and Real Sociedad, but the match will now take place as planned in Sevilla with global eyes on it.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is Lewis Hamilton really in free fall?
'Lewis is in free fall, isn't he?' That was a message I'd received this week from a friend, who is a staunch Hamilton supporter. The timing was interesting, as moments before, an email had dropped containing the comments from former F1 driver-turned-pundit Johnny Herbert, who is rapidly becoming Mr Rent-A-Quote on all manner of subjects, with his remarks freely available to use as a source for stories (in exchange for plugging betting websites). Advertisement In essence, Herbert's point was that Lewis Hamilton had lost his way with Ferrari and that the Italian team would be better to throw all its weight behind Charles Leclerc, who at 13 years younger, should be considered the team's future. It is a fair assessment, and came after Hamilton had finished sixth, courtesy of Max Verstappen's penalty in the Spanish GP; otherwise, it would have been seventh, while Leclerc had taken another podium finish. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Clive Rose / Getty Images Clive Rose / Getty Images After the race in Barcelona, Hamilton had labelled it: 'the worst he had ever experienced'. That is some unwelcome accolade, given it was his 365th F1 race. With each race, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the growing frustration he is experiencing as he adjusts to the new surroundings following his switch from Mercedes in the winter. Advertisement Hamilton's commitment cannot be questioned. He is spending time at Ferrari's Maranello factory and staying well into the night during F1 GP weekends, digging into the data in the hope of finding elements that, as yet, have been missing. Those missing elements remain unknown to the sender of the text message, or indeed perhaps Herbert too, but those working close to him can see his determined work in a relentless quest for an uptick in performance and results. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari SF-25 Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari SF-25 Andrej Isakovic / AFP via Getty Images Andrej Isakovic / AFP via Getty Images However, those halcyon days and his well-choreographed unveiling in the winter begin now seem a distant memory, and there is a foreboding sense that the dreams of winning an eighth F1 World Championship are nothing more than that. Advertisement The win in the sprint race in China, as was the happiness he expressed in the post-race media sessions at Imola, have both proved to be false dawns, and even, as is the case with the person who sent the message, the most passionate Hamilton fan must now be fearing the worst. Perhaps we should not be surprised. Like Hamilton, fellow F1 world champions Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel all arrived at F1's most famous team with the hope that it would herald another title — only for that not to prove the case. So why is it not working for Hamilton? The situation is complicated, and there is not one single factor that is obvious. At the start of the season, Ferrari's problems stemmed from set-up, with ride height being a factor. Indeed, Hamilton was disqualified from the Chinese GP due to a worn plank as his car was set up too low to the ground. Advertisement Then there is Hamilton's fondness for an F1 car that is set up to be stiff - again compromised by the softer rear suspension set up, which has prevented him from getting it dialled in. Furthermore, the upgrades were slow to arrive in the early part of the season as Mercedes and Red Bull both benefitted from new parts. Poor strategy has been a frequent problem for Ferrari, and this has not been helped by Hamilton being required to forge a new relationship with his race engineer - and dealing with the language barrier. The significance of the cultural shift that comes with moving from a UK team to one based in Italy cannot also be underestimated. It was always going to take time for Hamilton to adjust, but to take Herbert's point, at 40, time in F1 is not something Hamilton has an abundance of. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Advertisement It looks bleak, and perhaps to the outsider, looks like Hamilton is in free fall. His demeanour and comments in Barcelona are backed up by miserable race results, which means he's placed sixth in the drivers' championship — some 23 points behind his team-mate. Plus, history tells us that Ferrari does not usually offer a happy ending to the careers of F1 world champions. However, Hamilton's switch to Ferrari was never about this season, but for preparation for the new regulations that come in 2026, in the hope of one roll of the dice for the record-breaking eighth world title his glittering career deserves. Even the most fervent of Hamilton fans are having to dig deep, and some, like Herbert, are starting to question if it will happen. Is this really the beginning of the end, which will see him turfed out of the back door of a sport he has dominated? I absolutely hope not, but the reality is, we don't know. To read more articles visit our website.


Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
FC Barcelona Star De Jong Reveals Huge Decision On Future
FC Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong publicly revealed that he plans to renew his contract at the club ... More while speaking to VZ. FC Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong publicly revealed that he plans to renew his contract at the club while speaking to VZ. The Dutchman joined the Catalans from Ajax as part of a $85 million (€75 million) transfer in 2019, which is the year he was voted the best midfielder in the Champions League after the Amsterdam outfit beat the likes of Juventus and Real Madrid on the way to the elite European competition's semifinals. Amid the pandemic, he agreed to an extension which saw him defer parts of his payment. This arrangement made him the highest paid member of Hansi Flick's squad, and De Jong has often been linked with exits from the club. In 2022, he perhaps came closest to leaving when Barca reportedly accepted an offer from Manchester United. When all was said and done, however, De Jong stayed put and has just completed arguably his strongest season in Blaugrana. Returning from an ankle knock which kept him on the sidelines through the Netherlands' run to the Euro semifinals and the start of 2024/2025, he returned to Flick's first XI and dislodged Marc Casado to partner Pedri as their team completed an impressive domestic treble. Given that his contract expires in just over 12 months, getting De Jong to renew is a pressing matter of business for Sporting Director Deco after he managed to get key players including Pedri and Lamine Yamal to sign on the dotted line. If comments that De Jong made to VZ are anything to go by, Deco and Culers shouldn't worry that the number 21 will leave for free next year. 'I think I'm going to renew for Barca,' De Jong said. I can't be one hundred percent sure but if everything goes well it will be done. My intention is to renew this summer, but we'll see what happens. It is a negotiation and you cannot say when. The important thing is that both parties want it and I think we will reach an agreement.' One obstacle possibly getting in the way of this development could be that De Jong is reportedly in a battle to leave his agent, which is a matter that he 'can't say anything about' at the moment. 'Now I'm focused with the national team and then we'll see,' he stated on this. De Jong feels that constant complaints or analysis of his form are exaggerated 'too much'. 'I had a long injury and I suffered a lot with my ankle, it was difficult but I'm fine now. But before the injury I was playing very well but maybe we didn't have such a good team and you didn't see it as much. People now notice my game more,' he explained. 'Before I got injured I was in the best moment of my game. I don't think this year I did much better than the previous ones, but the titles we have won and the victories have given more visibility to my game,' he reiterated. While as said it was a successful campaign for FC Barcelona that yielded three Spanish trophies, there was disappointment in the Champions League where Flick's men fell to beaten finalist Inter Milan in the last four. 'It hurt a lot to lose against Inter. When you're so close to the final and you end up failing, it's always painful. It wasn't to be and the Champions League was deservedly won by PSG. They deserved the title,' De Jong said about this.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Diario AS: Real Madrid set sights on Zubimendi
Real Madrid is preparing a final attempt to sign Martín Zubimendi, the Real Sociedad midfielder, according to Diario AS. The White Club considers the Donostiarra the ideal replacement in the center of the field, key for the next season and the Club World Cup. Despite Arsenal's interest, which offers a higher salary, Zubimendi prioritizes continuing in Spain and values being managed by Xabi Alonso, with whom he coincided in Real Sociedad B. Advertisement The player's environment expects a concrete offer from the Madridistas before deciding his future. The release clause of 60 million complicates the operation, but Madrid is studying creative formulas, such as a loan with a purchase option. As AS highlights, this could be one of the key operations of the summer in LaLiga, with a outcome that could be prolonged until after the Club World Cup. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 Alex Bierens de Haan - 2025 Getty Images