Real Madrid wants the RFEF to replace De Burgos Bengoetxea for the Copa del Rey Final

Simply unbelievable! The controversy generated by the recent statements of the referees De Burgos Bengoetxea and Pablo González Fuertes, main referee and VAR assistant, respectively, has shaken the football environment hours before the dispute of the final of the Copa del Rey between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. These statements, which pointed to the media harassment campaign orchestrated by Real Madrid TV against the refereeing, have ignited the debate and left an atmosphere full of tension within the white entity.

The statements that apparently generated resentment in Real Madrid:

• 📌 Ricardo de Burgos Bengoextea: "When your son goes to school and they tell him that his father is a 'thief' and he comes home crying, it's very fucked up. What I do is try to educate my son to tell him that his father is honest, that he makes mistakes like any other athlete. It's very fucked up, I don't recommend it to anyone. The day I leave here, I want my son to be proud of what his father was and what refereeing is, which has given us many values. There is no right with what many colleagues are going through, not only in professional football, but also in grassroots football. Let everyone reflect on where we want to go, what we want, from sport and football."
• 📌 Pablo González Fuertes: "The problem is that when we refer to communicators, football agents who talk about robbery or foul language, the fan pays the frustration with the boy or girl who has to referee an children's game. It is the consequence of putting a target on the head. We want to return to a cleaner and healthier football. One day we will have a real problem, who will take care of this problem? We have to rethink the belligerence towards us."
  
  "The team of professional referees are more united than ever, I suppose because of the circumstances that surround us. We endorse the union with our president, Luis Medina, we must preserve the estate. Measures will have to be taken and we are not going to continue allowing what is happening, on certain dates you will have news of what will happen. We will make history with what we will do."

Hard to believe: Madrid would want the entire refereeing team to be replaced

According to journalist Jose Luis Sánchez from 'La Sexta', the statements of the referees would have provoked an unexpected reaction in Real Madrid, who after learning the testimonies of De Burgos Bengoetxea and González Fuertes, requested the change of the entire refereeing team for the Copa del Rey final. The merengue team expressed its astonishment at the freedom with which the judges spoke about the issue and considers that their statements could generate a conflict of interest, which would affect the impartiality in the refereeing of the expected match.

In turn, as stated by 'Cadena COPE', the Chamartín team considers that De Burgos Bengoetxea is not prepared to referee a final of the magnitude of the Copa del Rey, due to his supposed emotionality during a press conference, where he was seen crying after addressing the controversy. The reactions from Real Madrid have been forceful, wanting the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to invalidate these referees to avoid possible biases in the final.

The RFEF and the Technical Committee of Referees: Will they take action?

For his part, journalist Julio Suárez, also from 'La Sexta', revealed that the RFEF has no immediate plans to change the referees. According to Suárez, it will be Real Madrid who must formally request the change, which would open the option of a response from the Federation. However, it is not yet known whether this response will be positive or negative.

Regarding the possible actions of the Technical Committee of Referees, there is talk of drastic measures, such as taking the case to court to sue those responsible for the controversial videos broadcast by Real Madrid TV.

Is the change of referees in the Copa del Rey Final Possible?

Sources close to the Spanish Federation assure that a change of referees for the final is practically unfeasible, which makes this controversy, for the moment, more of a curious and controversial issue than a real obstacle for the development of this match that will define the champion of the Copa del Rey 2024-25.