Real Madrid have often spoken out against referees in La Liga, but things have become more tense before the Copa del Rey final. The team, led by coach Carlo Ancelotti, asked for referee Ricardo de Burgos to be removed after he became emotional while talking about his difficult past experience with the club. When their request was denied, Real Madrid skipped their official press conference and training session before the final.
This led to rumors that Real Madrid might boycott the final. However, the club later denied it. In an official statement, they confirmed they would still play in the final, despite their complaints. They said the idea of not playing was just a rumor. Still, many started wondering what would happen if Real really didn’t play—how the title would be awarded and what punishment they might face.
Skipping the final would mean giving up their shot at the trophy. It could also lead to a ban and a heavy fine. According to the Catalan news outlet Sport, the Spanish Football Federation’s rules (Article 77) say that if a team refuses to play, they are disqualified from the competition. In that case, the team they beat in the semi-finals—Real Sociedad—would have replaced them in the final to face Barcelona.
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Reports say that if Real Madrid skipped the Copa del Rey final, they would be banned from next season’s tournament. They would also have to pay a fine between $3,000 and $13,000 (about 3.5 lakh to 1.6 lakh taka in Bangladeshi currency).
Another Spanish news outlet, Mundo Deportivo, said the same. They added that if Real didn’t show up, Barcelona would be declared the winner, as they met all the conditions to play. According to Article 80 of the rules, Real would lose their chance to play in the next Copa del Rey.
Real Madrid, who won the treble last season, are having a rough year. They’ve already been knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals, lost badly to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, and are still 4 points behind in La Liga, with 5 games to go. So, skipping the Copa del Rey final wouldn’t look good for the club or its president, Florentino Perez.
Interestingly, this will be the first time in 11 years that Real Madrid and Barcelona face off in a Copa del Rey final. The big match takes place today (Saturday) at 2 a.m. at La Cartuja Stadium in Sevilla.
