OFFICIAL：Referee Appointed for Copa del Rey Final

Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea will be the main referee, with Pablo González Fuertes in charge of the VAR.

The referee has been confirmed for the Copa del Rey final taking place this Saturday, April 26, between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The main referee will be Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, while Pablo González Fuertes will be in charge of VAR.

Soto Grado seemed to be the favorite to officiate the final a few weeks ago, but that expectation faded, and Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea emerged as the chosen official.

This will be his first Copa del Rey final, although he has already officiated a Clásico in a final. He has refereed two Spanish Super Cup finals between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The first was in 2018 when the Super Cup was still played over two legs—he officiated the first leg in which Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1. The most recent was in 2023, a single-match final, in which Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-1.

Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea has officiated Barcelona 31 times across La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Super Cup. The record is 25 wins for Barça, 1 draw, and 5 losses. He hasn’t refereed a Copa match for Barcelona since the 2018–19 season—specifically the first leg of the quarterfinals, where Levante beat Barça 2-1. This season, he has overseen three of their La Liga matches: Barça won two and lost one, against Atlético Madrid.

As for Real Madrid, he has refereed them 25 times across La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Super Cup. The record is 16 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses. He last refereed Real Madrid in the Copa during the 2018–19 season, in the first leg of the round of 32, when Madrid beat Melilla 4-0. This season, he hasn’t officiated any of their La Liga matches, but he did take charge of their Spanish Super Cup semifinal, where Madrid beat Mallorca 3-0.