FC Barcelona faces Real Sociedad this Sunday, January 18 (9:00 PM CET) for matchday 20 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26, with Jesús Gil Manzano officiating. The referee from Extremadura was appointed by the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) along with Carlos del Cerro Grande (VAR).

This season, Gil Manzano has already refereed one Barça match. The 41-year-old referee was in charge of the Barcelona 2-1 Girona match, where the Blaugrana team won with goals from Pedri and Ronald Araujo, the latter in stoppage time. Frenkie de Jong was the only player cautioned for the Catalans that day, while Hansi Flick was sent off at the end for two yellow cards.

That expulsion prevented the manager from directing the first Clásico of the season, which ended in a Real Madrid victory (2-1). Real Sociedad, for their part, also had the man from Extremadura as the main referee on matchday 4, precisely against the 'merengues' (a 1-2 defeat in Anoeta for the San Sebastián team).

How has Barça fared in matches officiated by Jesús Gil Manzano?

Barça loses Hansi Flick for the Clásico: Gil Manzano sent off the manager against Girona

In total, Barcelona played 44 matches under Jesús Gil Manzano, with a record of 28 wins, 8 draws, and 8 losses. The last defeat for the Catalan club with the referee who debuted in LaLiga in the 2012/13 season was on October 28, 2023, against Real Madrid (1-2) in matchday 11 of LaLiga 23/24

The judge from Extremadura allowed himself the 'luxury' of sending off Luis Suárez, Neymar, Leo Messi, and Robert Lewandowski while wearing the Barça jersey. The Polish player received his only red card in Spain on November 8, 2022, in Pamplona against Osasuna (1-2). 

Regarding Sunday's visit to Real Sociedad, the appointment of Del Cerro Grande as the VAR official is a cause for concern. The Madrid-based referee was a central figure in Barça's last visit to Anoeta, after disallowing a legal goal by Lewandowski in the first half of a match that the San Sebastián team ended up winning (1-0) thanks to a goal by Sheraldo Becker.

Barça's record in matches officiated by Jesús Gil Manzano:

  1. Games: 44
  2. Wins: 28
  3. Draws: 8
  4. Losses: 8

Barça needs to win at Anoeta to preserve their LaLiga lead

Ahead of their visit to Anoeta, Barcelona arrives needing a win to preserve their 4-point lead over Real Madrid. On Saturday, Los Blancos defeated Levante at the Bernabéu (2-0) to get within 1 point of the Blaugrana team on matchday 20, the first of the second half of the tournament.