Who: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid
What: Spanish Copa del Rey
Where: La Cartuja stadium, Seville, Spain
When: Saturday at 10pm local time (20:00 GMT)
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Real Madrid staged pre-game activities before their Copa del Rey clash with Barcelona after the match referee held an emotional press conference to criticize Real for his actions toward the official on their own TV channel.
Real called Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea’s complaints “unacceptable,” according to the VAR referee appointed to the final, and were echoed by the club’s television channel.
The Spanish champions canceled the press conference, the media’s usual presidents’ dinner, and a pre-game photo call.
On the eve of Saturday’s cup final in Seville, the Madrid club stated, “These statements… made in a premeditated manner 24 hours earlier against one of the participants in the final, demonstrate once more a clear and obvious hatred of these referees towards Real Madrid.”
Real, according to a source close to the news agency Reuters, saw the news conference as a “clear conflict of interest” and that they should change the refereeing team. They have not requested that the Spanish FA (RFEF) replace the officials.
A request for comment was not immediately responded to by RFEF.
When match referee De Burgos cried during a press conference after responding to the RMTV video, the final was thrown into chaos.
The video, which was made available on Thursday, depicts De Burgos’ career-spanning series of errors, according to RMTV.
The most recent edits by RMTV that criticize Spanish officials is released.
De Burgos said at the news conference, “When a child’s classmates tell him that his father is a thief, it makes you sick.”
He continued, highlighting his integrity and the difficulties that many officials face both professionally and at the grassroots.
Barcelona back ref protection
Due to the pressure they are subject to, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick stated on Friday that safety measures should be taken.
It’s just a sport, in my opinion. Only a game, really. It’s only football, Flick said at a press conference, “Our responsibility is to protect not only the players but also all the players involved in the game.”
“It’s unfortunate that something happened today,” he said. We should be done with it after the match, of course, there are some decisions that are emotional on the field. There is a need to be something.
Referees’ concerns about abuse were brought up by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) in February, citing the Real Madrid player Jude Bellingham’s case as an example of a backlash.
Real had also written a letter of complaint to the Spanish referees a few weeks prior after Espanyol won them 1-0.
Barca advised to “enjoy” the Copa finale.
Flick instructed his young team to “enjoy” Real’s final battle.
After winning the Spanish Super Cup in January against Real Madrid, the Catalans are hoping to land a potential quadruple this year.
Flick claimed that Barca are not necessarily the favorites at the moment, even though they won 4-0 in LaLiga last October and 5-2 in the final in Saudi Arabia.
“We have a really young team, and playing in the final against one of the best teams in the world is a great experience,” Flick said.
A final is unique because it doesn’t revolve around favorites.
We want to begin the contest tomorrow and vie for the title.
Los Blancos are four points clear of Barca at the top of LaLiga, having struggled this season, having been knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal in the quarterfinals.
Lamine Yamal, a young winger at the age of 17, leads the exciting Flicks’ exciting side, which also features Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, and Pedri among its young players.
Ronald Araujo, the captain of Barcelona, said, “I’m surprised by how incredible their mentality is.”
They seem to be playing in a final tomorrow, but these kids from La Masia [FC Barcelona’s youth academy] have surprised me greatly.
Source: Aljazeera
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