Referee with Dominant Real Madrid Record—and Past Controversies—Appointed for El Clasico

The Spanish Referees' Committee has appointed Juan Martinez Munuera to take charge of the upcoming El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The high-stakes clash arrives amid mounting tension both on the pitch and around officiating standards following several controversial decisions in recent rounds. Javier Iglesias Villanueva has been assigned as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

For the 44-year-old referee from Alicante, this will be his fifth derby between the two Spanish heavyweights across his 14 seasons in La Liga. The head-to-head record under his watch tilts heavily in Real Madrid's favour, with Los Blancos winning three of the previous four encounters: a 3-1 league triumph in 2020, a 4-0 rout in the 2023 Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, and a 4-1 victory in the 2024 Spanish Supercopa final. Barcelona's sole El Clasico win with Martinez Munuera in charge was a 4-0 league victory in 2022.

Despite that favourable record, the official sparked fierce anger from Real Madrid when he showed Jude Bellingham a straight red card for dissent in a 1-1 draw against Osasuna in February 2025. The decision prompted a furious response from Los Blancos, and the referee was subsequently targeted with abuse and threats on social media.

Martinez Munuera has already officiated one fixture for each side this season. He was the man in the middle for Barcelona's 3-1 away win against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, as well as Real Madrid's comfortable 4-0 victory over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In total, the referee has taken charge of 46 Real Madrid matches, overseeing 30 wins, 9 draws, and 7 defeats for the capital club. Meanwhile, he has refereed 40 Barcelona fixtures, with the Blaugrana recording 27 wins, 6 draws, and 7 losses.

Overseeing duties in the VAR room will be 43-year-old Javier Iglesias Villanueva, who has served as a dedicated video assistant referee since the 2024/25 campaign. He also drew heavy criticism from Real Madrid in February 2025 during their clash with Espanyol, after failing to recommend an on-field review to referee Muniz Ruiz for a potential straight red card against Carlos Romero following a heavy tackle from behind on Kylian Mbappe.