Copa del Rey final referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, grew emotional on Friday as he addressed the ongoing pressure referees have faced this season, particularly from Real Madrid TV.
Ahead of Saturday’s Spanish Cup final between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Seville, the club’s television channel released another video criticising the appointed referee — a tactic they’ve used repeatedly throughout the season. In February, Real Madrid also published an open letter accusing Spanish refereeing of being “rigged” and “completely discredited.”
“When your child goes to school and comes home crying because other kids are calling his father a ‘thief,’ it’s heartbreaking,” De Burgos Bengoetxea said during a press conference. “I try to raise my son with the knowledge that his father is an honest man — above all, honest — and like any athlete, capable of making mistakes.”
Fighting back tears, the 39-year-old stressed how deeply this kind of abuse affects not just top-level officials but those at all levels of the game.
“This is incredibly hard… but when I walk away from this job one day, I want my son to be proud of who his father was, and of what refereeing stands for. It’s taught us important values.”
He urged everyone to reflect on the direction sport is heading:
“It’s time for serious reflection — from grassroots to professional football. We must ask ourselves what we want from the game.”
VAR official for the final, Pablo González Fuertes, echoed his colleague’s concerns and hinted that referees may soon take action against the persistent public attacks from Real Madrid TV.
“Make no mistake — much stronger measures will be taken,” González Fuertes warned.
“We’re done tolerating this. You’ll hear from us soon. We’re about to make history because we will no longer accept the abuse we’ve been enduring.”
