Real Madrid-Clash with Referee Throws Copa del Rey Final into the Spotlight
Days before the 2025 Copa del Rey final, the drama on the pitch was almost overshadowed by chaos off it. Real Madrid found themselves at the center of a storm, with their rivalry against Barcelona moving from sport into controversy over refereeing decisions. What kicked it all off? It was a heated exchange between Spain’s biggest club and one match official—Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.
First, things got weird fast: Real Madrid suddenly pulled the plug on planned press conferences and canceled a training session, all on April 25. Social media caught fire with suggestions that Madrid might walk away from the final altogether. For a moment, it felt like the world’s spotlight would miss the biggest cup showdown Spain has to offer.
But then Madrid released a rare formal statement. No, they said, we’re not boycotting. The club insisted it couldn’t disappoint the fans—some had traveled thousands of miles just to see their heroes on the field in Seville. Real Madrid wanted to underline not just the national importance but the global audience for the Copa del Rey final, promising to honor everyone’s efforts and keep the event alive for the world to see.
Referee Under the Microscope—and Under Fire
This wasn’t just another refereeing beef. Madrid’s own TV channel dropped a video that dug hard into De Burgos’ performance history, pointing out what they called a clear pattern: Real Madrid only won 64% of matches with De Burgos officiating, while Barcelona managed an eye-popping 81% win rate in games he’d handled. Viewers got a highlight reel of supposed blunders, each one fueling the feeling of injustice among Madrid’s faithful.
The video did more than feed online debates—it tipped real-life pressure onto De Burgos. At a press conference, the referee struggled to keep his composure as he shared the toll this had taken, not just on him but his child. De Burgos admitted he’d made mistakes, but rejected accusations of bias and broke down while detailing how his son was bullied at school because of all the attention.
Real Madrid, rather than backing down, doubled down. Club spokespeople took issue with how the referees’ union had gone public with emotional comments. They fired back that it was "unacceptable" for officials to try to sway public opinion ahead of such a major match.
The outcome? In the end, everyone stuck to their roles. De Burgos took the field as referee for the Copa del Rey final, Madrid and Barcelona battled for the trophy as scheduled, and the match drew the world’s eyes—not just for the football but for everything boiling under the surface. For both clubs, and for the Spanish football system, the whole episode was a reminder that the passion of the world’s biggest rivalries isn’t always easy to keep within the lines.
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