The Build-Up to the final explodes: What FIFA told Real Madrid about the referee scandal

With just hours remaining before the highly anticipated Copa del Rey 2025 final between Real Madrid and Barcelona, the atmosphere surrounding the match continues to intensify. According to journalist Josep Pedrerol on "El Chiringuito TV," FIFA has reportedly become involved in the ongoing referee scandal shaking Spanish football.

Sources reveal that FIFA representatives privately contacted Real Madrid to express their surprise and discomfort over the actions of the referees chosen for the final. The international governing body of football finds it hard to understand why the officials chose to speak publicly just days before such an important match, with one referee even breaking down in tears during a press conference to speak about the personal toll of recent public criticism.

The message to Real Madrid was clear: FIFA deems it inappropriate that referees addressed the media in the middle of such a controversy, undermining their professionalism and casting doubt on their impartiality in a game of this magnitude.

For Real Madrid, the informal support from FIFA provides a slight sense of relief. The club had already voiced its dissatisfaction with the selection of the refereeing team and had requested a change, a request that was ultimately denied by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

This controversy adds even more intensity to what was already set to be a high-stakes match. Beyond determining the winner of the Copa del Rey, the final between Spain's two biggest clubs is now overshadowed by a deepening mistrust of the refereeing decisions.

FIFA's Quiet Backing Highlights Growing Concerns Over Referee Integrity

Though no official statement has been released, FIFA’s behind-the-scenes involvement exposes the growing unease regarding the refereeing situation. What should have been a celebration of Spanish football now risks being tarnished by off-field distractions that threaten to overshadow the match itself.