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Victor Petkov
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Real Madrid considers boycotting Copa del Rey final vs Barcelona amid referee drama
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Los Blancos demand the referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea to be changed before the game on Saturday night

Just hours before the much-anticipated Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona, an explosive row has erupted involving match referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, Real Madrid’s club media, and the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

The spark came from a controversial video aired by Real Madrid TV, criticizing De Burgos’ refereeing record. The segment highlighted that Madrid had won just 64% of games officiated by De Burgos, while Barcelona had won 81%, framing it as evidence of bias. The video included ominous music and pointed out alleged past errors by the referee—without offering full context, such as opponents or match locations.

An emotional De Burgos broke down in a press conference Friday, revealing that the backlash had reached his personal life:

“To see your son come from school crying because some kids have said his dad is a crook is very hard to take.”

He insisted on his integrity, saying: “I make mistakes, like any athlete, but I am honorable. I want my son to be proud of his father.”

In a rare move, Real Madrid issued a strong counterstatement, condemning the referees’ public remarks as “unacceptable” and accusing them of harboring “clear and manifest animosity” toward the club. The club argued that its TV channel is protected by freedom of expression and denounced what it called “threatening” rhetoric from the referees.

Their statement urged the RFEF to take immediate action to defend the “prestige of the institutions” involved.

Spanish media now reports that Real Madrid are considering boycotting the final altogether after their official request to replace De Burgos as the match referee was denied by the federation. While no final decision has been made public, the standoff has cast a serious shadow over one of the most globally watched fixtures in club football.

All eyes now turn to Seville — not only for the outcome of El Clásico, but to see whether it will even be played as scheduled.