Real Madrid's Referee Row: Copa del Rey Final Turmoil

Real Madrid have accused the Copa del Rey referees of animosity, leading to pre-match boycotts against Barcelona. The controversy arose after referee Ricardo de Burgos's emotional response to criticism by RMTV. Real demands action from the Spanish FA, heightening tensions ahead of the football final.

Real Madrid's preparations for the Copa del Rey final descended into chaos on Friday following accusations of bias against the match referees. The Spanish club criticized referee Ricardo de Burgos, prompting him to deliver an emotional press conference that brought further tension to the high-stakes match against Barcelona.

Real Madrid boycotted pre-final activities, citing shock at de Burgos's response and perceived hostility from the referees. They argued that the officiating team possesses a clear bias against them, and issued a statement defending their TV channel, RMTV, which had aired critical content of the referee's past errors.

The Spanish FA has remained silent on whether it will change the officiating team, while Barcelona's manager emphasized the need to protect referees from undue pressure. The incident has ignited a wider debate on the treatment of referees in football.

(With inputs from agencies.)