‎Real Madrid threaten Copa del Rey final boycott over referee row with RFEF

Spanish football is bracing for an unprecedented showdown off the pitch, as Real Madrid are reportedly considering a shock boycott of the Copa del Rey final against arch-rivals FC Barcelona. This explosive development comes after the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) denied Madrid’s request to replace match referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

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‎Real Madrid threaten Copa del Rey boycott after RFEF rejects referee change request.

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‎The controversy erupted on Thursday when Real Madrid TV, the club's affiliated media channel, aired a damning segment targeting Bengoetxea. The video accused the 39-year-old of past decisions favoring Barcelona, implying a lack of neutrality and hinting at deeper biases. The content sparked immediate backlash, culminating in an emotional press conference from the official, during which he revealed that his son was taunted at school and called his father "a thief."

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‎In the wake of the broadcast and the emotional toll it seemingly had on Bengoetxea, Real Madrid formally petitioned the RFEF to assign a new officiating team for Saturday’s final. The club cited concerns over impartiality and the emotional impact of the controversy on the referee’s ability to officiate fairly.

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‎However, the RFEF swiftly dismissed the request, emphasizing that any such change under pressure from a competing club would undermine the integrity of the refereeing committee and set a dangerous precedent.

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‎Tensions escalated further on Friday as Real Madrid cancelled both their official pre-match press conference and their scheduled training session at Seville’s Estadio de La Cartuja. The club released a strongly worded statement late in the evening, accusing the refereeing body of displaying “manifest animosity and hostility” towards the club.

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‎“Even more surprising statements, in a threatening tone, alluding to the referees' unity... are far from the principles of fairness, objectivity, and impartiality,” the statement read. Madrid went on to call for the RFEF to act to “defend the prestige of the institutions they represent.”

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‎As of now, no official decision has been announced by Real Madrid regarding whether they will take the field against Barcelona. However, insiders suggest the threat of a boycott is very real, raising fears of one of the most anticipated fixtures of the Spanish football calendar being forfeited. Should Madrid refuse to play, Barcelona would be awarded the trophy by default—securing their first major silverware of the season and inching closer to a potential treble.

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‎Whether this is a calculated pressure tactic or a genuine protest remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the fallout from this refereeing dispute threatens to overshadow the final itself and could leave a lasting mark on Spanish football governance.

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‎Will Madrid stand by their threat, or will cooler heads prevail before kickoff? The football world waits.