Sports
Real Madrid forced to issue statement after referee broke down in tears ahead of Barcelona clash
Real Madrid have confirmed they will play in today’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona despite boycotting all pre-match activities.
The club issued a late-night statement on Friday denying they had ever considered refusing to participate in the match.
This came after hours of uncertainty when Madrid failed to attend scheduled press conferences and training sessions in Seville, with the showdown due to start at 10pm tonight at Cartuja Stadium.
Madrid’s statement, released after 10pm on Friday, emphasised they would play “out of respect to all those fans who have travelled to Seville” and those already in the Andalucían capital.
Real Madrid have confirmed they will play in today’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona despite boycotting all pre-match activities
GETTY/PA
The club insisted “the values of football should prevail” despite what they described as “hostility and animosity” shown against them by the match officials.
Their confirmation finally ended a tense evening of speculation about whether the high-profile final would proceed as planned.
Los Blancos had released a video on their TV channel involving referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea and some questionable decisions made by the official in the build-up to the match, while also highlighting that Barcelona have a higher win percentage when he oversees their games.
Madrid released a statement demanding the Spanish football federation (RFEF) take action after he tearfully explained himself.
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New Official Statement.
— Real Madrid C.F.
(@realmadriden) April 25, 2025
The club was particularly angered by a pre-match press conference where De Burgos Bengoetxea and VAR official Pablo González Fuertes discussed criticism from Real Madrid’s TV channel.
This dispute prompted Madrid’s decision to boycott all pre-match activities.
Carlo Ancelotti and Luka Modric were scheduled to speak to the media at 7.15pm local time on Friday but never appeared, with waiting journalists receiving no immediate explanation for their absence.
Madrid also cancelled their training session at La Cartuja Stadium.
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Club president Florentino Pérez had already decided not to attend any institutional events related to the final.
During the pre-match press conference, De Burgos Bengoetxea became emotional discussing the impact of criticism on his family.
“When a child goes to school and people tell him his father is a thief it’s messed up,” he said, his voice breaking.
González Fuertes warned about consequences for young referees, saying: “We see anonymous people on social media insulting and threatening referees without any control.”
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He added they wouldn’t “allow it to keep happening.”
Madrid’s statement described the referees’ remarks as “unacceptable” and made “in a premeditated manner”.
The club claimed the comments demonstrated “a clear and manifest animosity and hostility against Real Madrid”.
They called on the RFEF and refereeing establishment to “act accordingly, adopting the relevant measures in defence of the institutions that they represent”.
Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet in the final of the Copa del Rey tonight
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Madrid reportedly wanted De Burgos Bengoetxea removed from refereeing duties, considering his position untenable following the press conference, but he will ultimately oversee the fixture as planned.
Had Madrid not shown up for the final, they would have faced severe penalties including a year-long ban from the competition.
They would also have risked a fine of between 3,000 and 12,000 euros.