Will They or Won’t They? Real Madrid Stir Up Chaos Before Copa del Rey Final
Friday turned into a whirlwind of uncertainty and drama, as Real Madrid threatened to derail the Copa del Rey final in spectacular fashion — raising serious questions about the stability of Spanish football. Revolution or collapse? That’s the question fans and pundits were asking across the country.
The footballing world was shaken by reports that Real Madrid were considering a dramatic boycott of the Copa del Rey final unless the Spanish Football Federation replaced the appointed referee, Jesús Gil Manzano. As justification, the club released a video compilation highlighting what they claim were a series of controversial decisions against them, painting a picture of systemic bias.
The pressure was too much. Referee Benito Bengoechea, initially assigned to media duties, broke down in tears during a press conference, overwhelmed by the intensity of the spotlight and accusations.
To signal the seriousness of their stance, Los Blancos skipped the mandatory pre-match photo session and media obligations — an unusual and telling gesture from a club of their stature.
Yet as the hours ticked by, the storm began to fade. By early Sunday, Real Madrid issued an official statement claiming they had "never considered" not playing the final — a sharp contrast to the high drama earlier in the day.
Later that evening, during a 40-minute emergency meeting with the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Real’s representatives didn’t even raise the issue of changing the referee. It was as if the day’s theatrics had never happened.
