Copa del Rey final referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, became emotional on Friday when speaking about the pressure officials have faced this season from Real Madrid TV.
Madrid face rivals Barcelona on Saturday in the Spanish Cup final in Seville, and this week the club’s television channel released a video criticising the official — something they have done to various referees throughout the season.
Los Blancos also published an open letter in February, claiming that Spanish refereeing was “rigged” and “completely discredited”.
“When a child of yours goes to school and other children call his father a ‘thief’, and he comes home crying, it’s completely wrong,” De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference.
“What I try to do is educate my son, to teach him that his father is honest — above all, honest — and capable of making mistakes, like any sportsperson,” he continued, becoming visibly emotional.
“This is really tough… but the day I leave this job, I want my son to be proud of who his father is, and of what refereeing means — it has taught us many values.”
Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper reflection on the issue of referee abuse.
“It’s not right what many of us are going through — not just in professional football, but also at grassroots level,” he added.
“Everyone should reflect on where we are headed, and what we want from sport and from football.”
Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, the referee in charge of VAR for the final, suggested that officials may take further action over Real Madrid TV’s broadcasts in the coming weeks.
“Have no doubt — we will have to start taking much more serious measures than we are currently taking,” said Gonzalez Fuertes.
“We will not continue to tolerate what is happening. You’ll be hearing from us soon.
“We are going to make history because we are no longer going to endure what we have been putting up with.”
AFP
