In a dramatic turn of events, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has officially confirmed that the 2024/25 Copa del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Seville, will proceed as scheduled. The final is set to take place on Saturday, April 26 at 22:00 CEST, hosted at Seville’s Estadio de La Cartuja, despite ongoing tensions and controversy involving Real Madrid and the officiating selection especially, the referee.
Rafael Louzán, the president of the RFEF, addressed the situation publicly in an exclusive interview with Cadena SER, where he stood firm on the Federation’s decision. “The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has appointed an officiating team, and that’s what stands,” Louzán said. “There will be a final, and fans will enjoy a great show both in the stadium and on television.”
The controversy stems primarily from Real Madrid’s dissatisfaction with the appointed referees. Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea is set to referee the final, with Pablo González Fuertes handling VAR duties. Real Madrid has expressed concerns about what they perceive as potential bias from the match officials, which has led to an unprecedented response from the club. In protest, Los Blancos have opted to boycott all official pre-match duties. This includes withdrawing from scheduled press conferences, skipping pre-final training sessions on the official pitch, and refusing to participate in RFEF-hosted ceremonies.
Spanish media has widely covered the standoff. Huffington Post España reported that the decision from Real Madrid is a significant escalation, reflecting deep-rooted mistrust toward the Spanish football governing body. The club’s leadership reportedly feels that the refereeing appointments reflect political maneuvering rather than sporting integrity.
Fan reactions have also played a role in heightening the tension. Supporters’ groups from various clubs, including some from Real Madrid’s previous Copa del Rey opponents, have voiced strong opinions on the final. One statement from La Unión, a Celta Vigo fan group, accused Madrid of benefiting from a controversial decision in the quarterfinals. “Real Madrid should never be playing this final… they robbed Celta,” read a scathing post shared widely across Spanish football forums.
Despite the mounting pressure, the RFEF has stood by its selections and reiterated the importance of professionalism and sporting spirit. Louzán expressed confidence that the match would proceed without major incident and emphasized the history and spectacle of this classic Spanish football rivalry.
This final will mark the 260th competitive meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid — an iconic fixture commonly referred to as El Clásico which is classified and arguably, the biggest rivalry in football despite Liverpool vs Manchester United. It will be their first Copa del Rey final clash since 2014, when Real Madrid famously triumphed 2-1 thanks to Gareth Bale’s memorable solo goal. With both teams in excellent form this season and La Liga still undecided, the Copa del Rey final adds even more heat to an already explosive campaign.
As tensions simmer and fans around the world prepare for the grand spectacle, one thing is certain: this Copa del Rey final will be remembered, not just for the football, but for the drama off the pitch as well.
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