The Spanish referees' committee has handed Alejandro Quintero González the eagerly awaited clash between Barcelona and Elche, scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, at the Martínez Valero stadium as part of the opening round of the Spanish league.
At 33, Quintero González is about to enter a new stage in his career. He will be granted international referee status from the first of January, joining fellow Catalan Víctor García Verdura on the list of international referees.
Guillermo Cuadra Fernández takes charge of the video assistant referee duties, with Sunday's clash marking a new entry in Quintero's record with both Barcelona and Elche.
This will be the fourth match Quintero has officiated for Barcelona since his promotion to the Spanish top flight in the 2024-2025 season. The club have recorded two wins and one defeat under his officiating, the latter coming against Leganés by a single goal to nil in the 17th round of last season at the Olympic Montjuïc stadium.
Barcelona bounced back under the whistle of the Andalusian referee, sweeping aside Real Sociedad by four goals to nil in the 26th round of the same season. They repeated the trick in the last match Quintero officiated for the club, beating Real Mallorca three-nil.
Elche, meanwhile, will see the referee take charge of them for a fourth time on Sunday. They have recorded two wins and a draw in the three previous matches, the last of which came in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey last season, when they beat Eibar by a single goal to nil.
The match carries added importance for the young referee. It will be the first time he officiates two domestic first-division matches within the same period, at the start of an exceptional season in which he prepares to begin his journey on the international stage.