Who Will Be Calling the Shots? Referee Ricardo de Burgos for Barça vs. Madrid Copa Del Rey Final
Referee Ricardo de Burgos will have a key part in tonight’s Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Real Madrid .
The anticipation leading up to tonight’s main event has been dominated by Reality's critique of the referees This led to the current European champions releasing a statement where they refuted any plans to boycott the game.
The Real Madrid team expressed their disapproval of the match officials' remarks as 'unacceptable' following De Burgros shedding tears during a press briefing.
The current LaLiga titleholders issued a forceful statement demanding that referees De Burgos and VAR official Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes be dismissed and prohibited from overseeing one of the most crucial matches of the campaign.
What caused Ricardo de Burgos to shed tears?
De Burgos Bengoetxea from Bilbao broke down in tears in front of the press when he exposed the immense pressure that Real Madrid's TV channel exerts on referees.
The 39-year-old is the most recent official to face criticism on Real Madrid TV this season.
A video shared earlier this week highlighted the victory rates for both Barca and Real under his officiating, noted that he hasn’t overseen any matches in the Champions League or FIFA competitions, along with pointing out what were considered errors during these games.
De Burgos stated 'this isn’t right what we are experiencing' at an emotionally charged press briefing, whereas VAR official Gonzalez Fuertes hinted that referees might intervene regarding these live transmissions.
The team apparently snubbed their scheduled official media appearances on Friday after alleging 'evident and clear bias and antagonism' directed at the club by referees.
Why did Real Madrid object to Ricardo de Burgos?
"Real Madrid CF finds the remarks made publicly by the match officials selected for the Copa del Rey final to be inappropriate," stated a release on their official website.
'These demonstrations, which unexpectedly highlighted footage from a channel safeguarded by freedom of speech like Real Madrid TV, intentionally broadcast 24 hours prior to the match involving one of the finalists, underscore yet again the evident and unmistakable bias and antagonism displayed by these referees towards Real Madrid.'
'Even more startling comments, delivered in an intimidating manner, suggesting solidarity among referees, were made to outline supposed steps or initiatives that significantly deviate from the standards of fairness, objectivity, and neutrality expected mere hours prior to a football match that garners global attention from billions.'
Considering the gravity of the incident, Real Madrid expects that both the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) and the refereeing department will take appropriate action, implementing the required steps to uphold the dignity of their respective organizations.
What comments has Barcelona made regarding the referee?
In February, Real sent a formal complaint letter to RFEF and Spain’s High Council for Sports, stating that Spanish refereeing was 'fixed' and 'entirely discredited'.
Later, RFEF underscored the worries of referees regarding harassment, referencing the instance involving Jose Munuera Montero, who encountered criticism following his decision to show a red card to Madrid’s English player Jude Bellingham.
The Barcelona coach, Hansi Flick, stated on Friday that measures must be implemented to safeguard referees.
"For me, it’s just a sport. Just a game. Simply football…" Flick stated. "We have a duty to safeguard not only the players but everyone associated with the game," he added.
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