The Spanish Football Federation's technical refereeing committee have handed the officiating of next Sunday's eagerly awaited derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid to Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias. He takes charge of the first major clash of the new season in a decision of historic and exceptional significance for Spanish refereeing.
Never before in La Liga's history has a referee from the city of Madrid overseen a derby between Atletico and Real Madrid. The appointment follows the committee's decision last season to scrap the "geographical and regional distribution" criterion, the rule that for years barred any referee from the same regional federation as one of the competing teams from officiating their matches, according to Spanish newspaper "Marca".
Ortiz Arias himself paved the way for this change last season when he took charge of Getafe against Rayo Vallecano, the first refereeing precedent between two teams from the Madrid regional community. Munuera Montero then followed suit, officiating the Seville derby at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
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Handing the biggest capital derby to a Madrid referee marks a bolder step still, shattering a long-standing barrier in how officials are appointed in Spanish football.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, sit second in La Liga with 12 points from five rounds, three behind leaders Barcelona. Atletico are fifth on 10 points.