Controversy erupted early over the referee for the eagerly awaited Clasico between Barcelona and their guests Real Madrid. "Radio Marca" reported that Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez would officiate the match, scheduled for Sunday 25 October at the Spotify Camp Nou. But it appears that will not be the case.
The "Archivo VAR" account, which specialises in refereeing affairs, denied the report and confirmed that Hernandez is not among the options being considered for this encounter.
Dedicated to assessing refereeing performance in La Liga and the Segunda Division, the account enjoys a close relationship with the referees' committee. It explained that the appointments committee has not yet met, so the name of the Clasico referee remains unknown.
The Catalan newspaper "Sport" also contacted official sources at the Spanish Federation. They confirmed a new policy for appointing referees: the names will only be revealed 24 hours before the matches.
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Discontent in the capital
Faced with the possibility of appointing the referee from the Canary Islands, voices close to Real Madrid aired their discontent with Hernandez Hernandez. He has officiated 6 Clasico matches in his career, with results of 3 wins for the Catalan side, two draws, and a single win for Los Blancos.
On the refereeing controversy, the picture is more balanced, despite the complaints coming from Madrid, according to "Sport".
Barcelona won 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu on 23 April 2017, in a match that reignited the title race. Messi scored his legendary goal in the 93rd minute and celebrated by holding up his shirt in front of the Real Madrid fans.
Two incidents stood out: an elbow blow from Marcelo that left Messi bleeding, and a foul by Casemiro to stop a counter-attack, despite the midfielder having already been cautioned.
Hernandez Hernandez took charge of the Camp Nou Clasico in 2018, a game that ended 2-2. Two incidents angered Real Madrid that day. A possible foul preceded Messi's second goal, which put Barcelona 2-1 up, and a penalty went unawarded after Jordi Alba's challenge on Marcelo. The Blaugrana went on to lift the league title that season.
The most recent controversy
The 2025 Clasico at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic was not free of controversy either. Barcelona's 4-3 win sealed the league title, but their fans did not forget the ball clearly striking Tchouameni's arm inside the penalty area, with Hernandez Hernandez waving play on.
The newspaper concluded: "So far, the name of the Clasico referee remains unknown. But what is clear is that neither party will be satisfied with the referee who ends up being chosen."