Copa del Rey final referee breaks down over Real Madrid TV pressure

Copa del Rey final referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea welled up on Friday when speaking about pressure officials have faced from Real Madrid TV this season.

Madrid take on rivals Barcelona on Saturday in the Spanish cup final in Seville and this week the club’s television channel launched a video attacking the official, which they have done to various referees this season.

Los Blancos also published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was “rigged” and “completely discredited”.

“When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a ‘thief’ and comes home crying, it’s totally messed up,” De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference.

“What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson,” he continued, becoming emotional.

“This is really messed up… but the day I leave (the job), I want my son to be proud of what his father is, and what refereeing is, it has given us many values.”

Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper thought on the issue of referee abuse.

“It’s not right what we are going through, many colleagues, and not just in professional football, but also at grassroots level,” he added.

“Everyone should reflect about where we want to go, about what we want from sport and from football.”

Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, the referee in charge of VAR for the final, suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV’s broadcasts in the coming weeks.

“Have no doubt that we are going to have to start taking much more serious measures than we are taking,” said Gonzalez Fuertes.

“We will not continue to allow what is happening. Soon, you will hear from us.

“We are going to make history, because we are not going to continue to bear what we are putting up with.”