Munuera Montero to referee Mallorca-Barça: How have Barça fared under him?

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has made official the referees for matchday 1 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26. Focusing on the match that will pit RCD Mallorca against FC Barcelona at Son Moix, the referee in charge of officiating will be José Luis Munuera Montero, assisted from VAR by Jorge Figueroa.

The 42-year-old referee from Jaén has the 'azulgrana' team among the teams he has officiated the most in his career, with a total of 30 matches. In these matches, Hansi Flick's team records a favorable balance: 21 wins, 3 draws, and only 6 losses.

Munuera Montero's precedents with FC Barcelona

The most recent precedent with Munuera Montero on the whistle leaves a bittersweet memory. It was in the past season, specifically on matchday 37 of LaLiga EA Sports, where Barça fell 2-3 against Villarreal CF. A defeat tempered by the fact that they were celebrating the league title before their fans at Montjuïc that day.

Although that match did not generate too much controversy, it is evident that in some matches, the presence of Munuera Montero has brought controversy. An example was the Atlético de Madrid – Barcelona match in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals last season.

In that match, the referee omitted some infractions, the most commented being the red card forgiven to Azpilicueta after a harsh tackle on Raphinha, an action that the VAR even warned about, but which was ultimately not reviewed.

Munuera Montero's record in RCD Mallorca matches

Regarding his work in matches featuring RCD Mallorca, Munuera Montero has officiated a total of 20 matches. The 'bermellones' have a negative balance: 8 wins, 1 draw, and 11 losses, showing that historically the draw of the referee from Jaén has not been particularly favorable for them.

Only the rolling of the ball will tell if Munuera Montero will have an influence on this debut in LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26 between RCD Mallorca and FC Barcelona at Son Moix.