Real Madrid has rejected 'unacceptable' comments from civil servants after a tearful interview by the referee who would take the lead on Saturday's Copa del Rey final.
Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, who will officer the cup -final between Real Madrid and Barcelona, broke into tears during a press conference on Friday after being asked about Real Madrid TV videos who attacked referees.
Real Madrid TV suggested Barcelona that Barcelona would win more matches with Burgos Bengoetxea as a referee than Real Madrid.
Reports in Spain suggest that Real can even boycott the competition.
It is the latest development in a constant feud between Spanish officials and Real, who have canceled their pre-final media people on Friday after the BergoetXea interview.
Earlier this season, Real filed a letter of complaint against the referees of the Spanish League, as a result of which Liga President Javier Tebas accused the club of “losing their mind”.
Concern about abuse aimed at referees, the RFEF led to issue a statement in February after Jose Munuera Montero was the subject of a return after broadcasting Jude Bellingham by Real Madrid.
Emotional BengoetXEA hits Madrid TV Video back
A tearful BergoetXea said: “Look, we are talking a lot about TV videos from Real Madrid and it is the truth that it is a lot of media attention about it, but I will give you a few examples of things that happen to colleagues and then give me your opinion about it.
“When your child goes to school and is told that their father is a thief by other children, that is really difficult.
“The only thing I try to do is train my son, so he knows that his father is honest, especially honest, but that also makes mistakes like any other person, and that is really difficult and I don't want anyone.
“But the day I retire, I want my son to be proud of what his father did and referee and its values. Everything we go through, not only in professional football, that influences our families, but also in basic football.
“So it's time for everyone to think about what we want to do and what we want to achieve in sport and in football. Okay? I just wanted you to know about it.”
Later on Friday, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) posted on social media: “Real Madrid CF has announced the RFEF that it will not keep the press conference or the official training session prior to the Copa del Rey final planned for today in La Cartuja Stadium in Sevilla.”
The VAR for Saturday's final, Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, had previously said that civil servants will take quickly action because of the constant pressure with which they are confronted.
“We are going to take real action, we will not continue to allow what is happening,” he said.
“In a few days you will all see. We will write history and we will not continue to tolerate what we tolerate. A strike? You will soon have news from us.”
Real Madrid call on RFEF to 'act accordingly'
In response to the comments, a Real Madrid statement was: “Real Madrid CF is considering the public statements made today by the referees designated for the Copa del Rey -Final, planned for tomorrow, 26 April 2025, to be unacceptable.
“These protests, which have surprising attention aimed at videos of a media outlet protected by freedom of expression, such as Real Madrid TV, which are deliberately performed 24 hours against one of the participants of the final, again show the clear and manifest hostility and hostility of these referees to Real Madrid.
“Even more surprising statements, in an imminent tone, that refer to the unity of the referees, were used to announce alleged measures or actions that are far below the principles of fairness, objectivity and impartiality that should only rule a few hours for a football event that should attract the attention of hundreds of million people around the world.
“Given the seriousness of what happened, Real Madrid hopes that those responsible for the RFEF and the referee will act accordingly, taking the necessary measures to defend the prestige of the institutions they represent.”
Real's feud with Spanish referees reached a new level after broadcasting Bellingham in February.
Earlier that month, Real Madrid wrote a formal letter to the RFEF after a 1-0 defeat by Espanyol, with the winner scored by Carlos Romero -who should have already been sent away for a late challenge on Kylian Mbappe.
The club was also furiously left by a VAR-Kraonde penalty given to arch-rivals Atletico Madrid who saw the Madrid Derby ended in a 1-1 draw a week later.