Juan Martinez Munuera (Benidorm, 39 years old) has been the referee chosen for whistle Real Madrid – Barcelona today (9:00 p.m., Santiago Bernabeu). the braid will be supported by Mateu Lahoz (VAR referee) in what will be his second Clásico since he whistled in the First Division (2013). The Alicante, which is local police officer on leave of absence, has the rank of international referee and his reputation has been growing in recent years both in Spain and beyond our borders. UEFA and FIFA have appointed him for major events (finals of the Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, Champions…) especially in video arbitration tasks. He will be accompanied on the pitch at the Bernabéu by linemen Fuentes Molina and Barbero Sevilla. Her brother Ángel de ella will be the fourth referee.
His previous Classic
This will be the second Clásico that Martínez Munuera whistles in his entire career. It premiered at Barça-Madrid in the first round of last season, which was resolved with a 1-3 in favor of the whites at the Camp Nou. It was a game marked by the controversy that arose from the fact that the VAR called him for a grab by Lenglet on Ramos and that he would end up awarding a penalty. It was one of the first grabs that were called at the request of the VAR, but he was supported since said shirt pull prevented the then white captain from finishing off a ball.
The referee of the Clásico has been criticized on several occasions by both teams. In the case of the Barça team, in addition to that aforementioned move, another is added in a Barça-Atlético semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup in 2020, when they annulled a Messi goal by hand from the VAR. Situations that make this referee not like Barcelona. Although in Madrid, Martínez Munuera has also been marked. He was the braid that awarded a penalty at the hands of Militao, at the request of video arbitration, in the controversial match against Sevilla in Valdebebas last season.
Balance with Real Madrid and Barcelona
Al white set has beeped him in 29 occasions (18 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses) and only once this season (1-4 in favor of Madrid against Granada). As for the azulgrana, the balance is almost as favorable: from 26 matches, Barcelona took the win 16 times, drawing on 6 and losing on 4. Although in this campaign Martinez Munuera was in two stumbles of the culés: the league draws against Athletic (1-1) in San Mamés and the 2-2 against Osasuna in El Sadar.
Mateu Lahoz will be in the VAR
Mateu Lahoz (Valencia, 45 years old) will monitor any clear and manifest error by Martínez Munuera from the VAR. It will be the eighth time that he performs this function this season, having a balance of only two interventions and both as a monitor (he recommended taking a red card and calling a penalty per hand). Mateu was the first Spanish referee to carry out VAR tasks, he was trained for this by UEFA for the 2018 World Cup.
Two referees (field-VAR) will make a couple with little intervention. From the VOR, only Martínez Munuera has entered fewer actions (0). Although the man from Alicante has been corrected six times and in another he remained in his decision. This season Madrid has experienced 5 interventions against the VAR and Barcelona only two. Pablo González Fuertes, also a braid from Primera, will help Mateu as an assistant in the Las Rozas room.