'They say his father is a thief' - Copa del Rey final referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea breaks down in tears as he reveals his son is tormented at school just hours after release of controversial Real Madrid TV video

Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, who will be the match referee for Saturday's Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Madrid, was overcome with emotion as he revealed that his son had been subjected to cruel bullying at school. The torment began just hours after the release of a controversial Real Madrid TV video, which led to personal attacks, with some calling his father a "thief."

Speaking to MARCA, Bengoetxea explained his plight amid the criticism him and his family are facing: "When your child goes to school and is told his father is a 'thief' and comes home crying, it's really tough.

"What I'm doing is trying to educate my son, to tell him that his father is honest, that he makes mistakes like any other athlete. It's a real pain, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The day I leave here, I want my son to be proud of what his father was and what refereeing is, which has given us so many values.

"What many of our colleagues are going through, not just in professional football but also in grassroots football, is unfair. Everyone should reflect on where they want to go, what they want from sports and football." 

Real Madrid TV recently highlighted officiating "errors" by De Burgos Bengoetxea in matches involving the club, citing a 64% win rate for Madrid under his supervision. In contrast, Barcelona boasts an 81% win rate with him. Madrid raised concerns over a pattern of unfavorable outcomes with the referee. Saturday's Copa del Rey final will be his third time officiating a Real Madrid vs Barcelona final, having previously refereed their Super Cup encounters in 2017 and 2023.

Thanks to the media narratives pointing fingers at the referee's credibility, all eyes will be on how successfully can De Burgos Bengoetxea officiate the Copa del Rey final. A game of his magnitude would demand a flawless refereeing performance, but more criticism could be on its way should the 39-year-old fail to make the right calls.