Real Madrid were launching one desperate last attempt to save Saturday’s Copa del Rey final when referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea signalled a free kick against forward Kylian Mbappe.
With the game well past the 120-minute mark, everyone in Seville’s Estadio Cartuja realised that Barcelona were about to win the game 3-2 and lift the trophy.
On the sidelines, Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger, who, a few minutes earlier, had limped off the pitch injured, leapt to his feet and appeared to throw a bag of ice he had been holding against his leg in the direction of the referee.
Amid chaotic scenes, De Burgos Bengoetxea showed a red card to Rudiger, and another to Madrid’s Lucas Vazquez, who had entered the pitch to protest despite having also been substituted earlier.
The Basque official then blew the final whistle, and while Barcelona’s players celebrated their success, Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham approached the referee and was shown a red card, too.
It was a most undignified end to a thrilling, see-saw Copa del Rey final in which both sides had played a full part.
Yet, at the post-game news conference an hour later, Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti claimed his team had put in an impressively dignified performance in a game they had led 2-1 late into the second half.
“I’m hurting but there’s nothing to reproach my team for,” said Ancelotti.
When asked specifically to comment on Rudiger’s behaviour and the referee’s performance, the Italian dodged the questions.
“I don’t want to talk about the referee,” he said. “We’ll have to see what happens. Rudiger played a fantastic game, I appreciate the spectacular effort he made.”
It was characteristically diplomatic from Ancelotti but it was also a fittingly combative end to a very belligerent weekend in which Madrid’s battles against authority had arguably not done their chances of success, or their wider reputation, any favours.
Spanish referees do not often speak in public, but the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) organises press conferences for the officials who will take each year’s Copa del Rey final.
These have previously not made many headlines, but this year was different. The context was how match officials have felt they now receive unfair criticism, and even abuse, when clubs get upset at decisions with which they do not agree.
The most obvious example has been videos regularly screened on Real Madrid’s official TV channel (RMTV), claiming officials are biased against the Bernabeu outfit, including one aired a few days previously showing mistakes De Burgos Bengoetxea had allegedly made to damage Madrid in previous games.
Asked for his views on such videos on Friday, De Burgos Bengoetxea broke down in tears. “When your kid goes to school and there are children there telling him his dad is a thief, and he comes home crying, it’s a screwed up situation,” he said.
At the same press conference, the final’s video assistant referee (VAR), Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, also got emotional as he complained about the atmosphere against referees in Spanish football. Gonzalez Fuertes referenced RMTV’s videos and other clubs, managers, players and fans showing disrespect to officials. He also said that “very soon” there would be new “consequences” for those who attacked referees, which many took as a threat.
The Bernabeu hierarchy reacted furiously. A club statement called the two officials’ words “unacceptable” and said they had shown “clear animosity and hostility towards Real Madrid”. The team were ordered not to go to the pre-game training session at the stadium. Backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who had already boarded the bus, was called back inside the hotel.
Ancelotti did not fulfil his pre-game media duties, nor did any Madrid representative attend the traditional formal dinner with the federation, Barcelona’s directors and local government dignitaries at Seville’s Real Alcazar palace.
Some reporters close to the Bernabeu hierarchy even suggested Madrid might refuse to play the final. RFEF president Rafael Louzan said on Friday evening that he had never feared this outcome, but during a 40-minute phone conversation with Madrid’s director general, Jose Angel Sanchez, he had pushed back against the idea of a last-minute change of referees.
Despite the players, families and thousands of fans being in the Andalusian capital already, it was not until after 10pm that Madrid issued a second official statement making clear they would play the game the following night.
At Madrid’s team hotel, the mood was awkward. “It’s not easy or ideal to be preparing for a final like this, but we do what we’re told,” a source close to the coaching staff told The Athletic, speaking anonymously to avoid repercussions, like all cited in this article.
Some among the Madrid camp were unhappy at the distraction in preparations caused by the club hierarchy. Others blamed the referees’ comments for inflaming the situation. Some sources close to the team, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, recalled previous incidents when De Burgos Bengoetxea made calls against their side. “We’ll need to win by two or three goals — if there are debatable decisions in the penalty areas, they (the refs) will punish us,” said one source close to the team, as passions ran high.
On Saturday morning, RMTV went on the attack again, calling De Burgos Bengoetxea a “crybaby” and sending the message to the club’s fans: “It’s coercion — they’re trying to silence us. But in Spain, we’ve earned the right to say what the hell we want.”
Such comments fit with the station’s editorial line and with Madrid’s increasingly hostile attitude towards all authorities within football, with club president Florentino Perez battling against UEFA over his European Super League project, opposed to La Liga president Javier Tebas over the distribution of the league’s revenues, and even mandating a boycott of last October’s Ballon d’Or ceremony when Vinicius Junior missed out on the award.
Further context can be found in the bitter battle for control of refereeing in Spain, with most within the game accepting that the current CTA (referees’ technical committee) needs to be reformed. Meanwhile, the long-running official investigation into Barcelona paying €7.3million (£6.4m; $7.8m) between 2001 and 2018 to a company owned by former CTA vice president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira appears no closer to any resolution.
Perez, Tebas and Louzan have their own ideas about new refereeing structures, with no consensus. The officials feel they are being squeezed in the fight for power and resources.
Those on the Barcelona side tried to keep out of the debate before Saturday’s game.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Barca head coach Hansi Flick when asked about RMTV videos at his press conference on Friday. “We need the referees, we have to look after them, not disrespect them — all the clubs.”
Perez arrived in Seville early on Saturday morning, visiting the team hotel to speak briefly with Ancelotti and players including Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Bellingham. Well-informed sources say Madrid were never planning to boycott the final.
The match officials’ dramatic press conference appearance was inevitably going to draw more attention to their performances the following day. Former referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz said during Movistar TV’s build-up to the game that he agreed with the complaints outlined by his former colleagues the previous day, but “yesterday was not the moment” to make them.
Ninety minutes before kick-off at Cartuja, De Burgos Bengoetxea and Gonzalez Fuertes soaked up some atmosphere, with TV cameras picking out a hug between the pair. When the teams came out, Madrid captain Dani Carvajal (currently injured) was among the players to greet the officials, without any apparent bad feelings involved.
Such harmony did not last long once the game began. After five minutes, there were huge roars when Vinicius Jr sprinted behind Barca’s defence, then massive whistles when an offside flag (correctly) went up, followed by chants of, ‘‘Corruption in the federation” (often heard at the Bernabeu) from the Madrid half of the stadium.
Stress levels rose when Barca midfielder Pedri’s 20-yard screamer put his side 1-0 ahead. Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni was soon booked for a heavy challenge, and coach Ancelotti followed him into the book for complaints, bringing more howls of derision from half of the 70,000 Cartuja crowd.
Madrid were further irked when Bellingham had a potential equaliser chalked off for another (correct) offside call, with Vinicius Jr among the players to complain. Most frustrating of all was De Burgos Bengoetxea signalling a penalty for a foul on Vinicius Jr, only for yet another (again correct) flag to bring play back for a Barca free kick near halfway.
Amid tremendous noise inside the stadium, the Barcelona side were also upset when two penalty claims from their side were waved away — a potential handball when Federico Valverde slid in to block a Raphinha cross, and Dani Ceballos wrestling with Pau Cubarsi at a Barca corner. Ceballos was also arguably lucky to escape any punishment for raising his hands during a tussle with Barca forward Lamine Yamal just before half-time.
There was no let-up in the drama after the break. Madrid howled for a red card when Frenkie de Jong pulled back Mbappe 25 yards from goal, but De Burgos Bengoetxea decided on a yellow. Those complaints were soon forgotten when Mbappe converted the free kick to make it 1-1. The momentum was with those in white, and Tchouameni’s header put Ancelotti’s side in front.
The mood inside the stadium had swung around. “This is how Madrid win,” chanted the gleeful Blancos supporters, repurposing a chant traditionally used by other teams’ fans to complain about how referees have historically favoured the Bernabeu outfit.
But the pendulum swung again and the officials were back in the spotlight. Barca thought they deserved a penalty with 10 minutes remaining when Rudiger appeared to trip Ferran Torres in the area. Soon afterwards, Torres clinically punished a mistake by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to make it 2-2.
With 95 minutes played came an even more controversial moment. When Barca winger Raphinha raced into the penalty area, Madrid defender Raul Asencio challenged him, and De Burgos Bengoetxea had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. But VAR Gonzalez Fuertes called his colleague to watch a replay pitchside, and the decision was overturned, with Raphinha booked for simulation.
There was tremendous pressure on the officials making the decision. Replays suggested it was another correct call, but Barca’s fans in the stand responded with their own “that’s how Madrid win” chants as well as others of, “Florentino, son of a bitch,” as everyone on the pitch took a breather before extra time.
Even after Jules Kounde’s stunning 116th-minute goal appeared to clinch the trophy for Barca, there was still time for even more drama. Mbappe went down in the Barca box, and De Burgos Bengoetxea pointed to the spot yet again. But for the third time in the game, Madrid’s celebrations of winning a penalty were cut short, this time due to another (correct) offside flag.
Then came the frantic ending, and the red cards for Rudiger, Vazquez and Bellingham. The final was over, but the debate and controversy would continue.
The official match report was published around 3am on Sunday morning. It explained the three late red cards — the words used will be crucial in how the RFEF’s disciplinary committee decide on any further punishments.
“Rudiger was sent off for throwing an object from the technical area that did not reach me,” De Burgos Bengoetxea wrote. “After being shown the red card, he had to be restrained by various members of the coaching staff, while he showed an aggressive attitude.”
That suggested the German would be judged under Article 101 of the RFEF’s disciplinary code, which mandates a suspension of between four and 12 games, for the use of “mild violence toward the referees… (such as) grabbing, pushing, or shaking”.
Another potential option would be to use Article 104 for an “assault”, although this appears unlikely. Rudiger’s Instagram apology on Sunday morning may also count in mitigation.
Vazquez and Bellingham are more likely to be given two-game bans under the disciplinary code’s Article 124, which would be served in the early rounds of next season’s Copa. Although the Englishman’s previous record, including a two-game ban for verbally abusing the referee at Osasuna in February, could be taken into account.
Whatever the disciplinary committee decisions, there will be more debate and complaints, and the environment around referees in Spain has only become even more heated. Although De Burgos Bengoetxea and Gonzalez Fuertes’ comments on Friday were poorly timed, their decision-making amid the noise and pressure was impressive.
The behaviour from Madrid’s side, from the club hierarchy to the players, was not so calm or controlled. Rudiger is likely to miss La Liga’s Clasico at Barcelona on May 11, a game Ancelotti’s team need to win to have any realistic chance of overtaking their rivals in the title race.
With Madrid crashing out of the Champions League this month, it is adding up to a less-than-elegant end to the season. Just a few weeks ago, there was talk of the club’s first ‘treble’ success.
“It’s a crazy situation, but so is everything at the moment,” one source close to the Madrid camp told The Athletic on Saturday morning as the team tried to put all the noise and distractions out of their minds.
Just at that moment, on Real Madrid TV, a pundit was railing: “We’re against everyone, and against everything.” For better or worse, that is how the club’s 2024-25 campaign is coming to a very noisy end.
(Top photo: Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
