Spanish Super Cup
“We already know how he referees Madrid” - Controversial Super Cup Clásico final referee makes bold decision
As Real Madrid and Barcelona prepare to lock horns in Saudi Arabia for more silverware, Gil Manzano will be the man with the whistle.
In the final, Jesús Gil Manzano will take charge of the whistle for the Clásico, a nearly inevitable appointment for the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. The occasion feels even more traditional with the Extremaduran referee officiating.
Real Madrid is the team he has officiated the most (50 times), followed closely by Barcelona (41). Madrid’s memories under his direction are favorable, with only five losses compared to Barcelona’s eight. But - and it’s a significant “but” – Gil Manzano’s penultimate encounter with Madrid adds a layer of intrigue to his designation. A draw at Mestalla that ended in controversy.
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That game between Valencia and Real Madrid
On March 2, 2024, Gil Manzano blew the final whistle while the last play of the game was still active. Jude Bellingham scored what would have been a 2-3 victory for Madrid, but the goal was disallowed, and the Englishman was sent off for his protests. The incident sparked a storm.
The Referees’ Technical Committee (CTA) decided to sideline Gil Manzano, deeming his performance excellent overall but faulting his poorly timed final decision. It wasn’t until December 7 - nine months later – that he officiated another Madrid match, a much smoother 3-0 victory over Girona in Montilivi.
Despite this, Real Madrid’s official television channel, known for its frequent criticism of referees, has kept the Mestalla incident fresh in memory.
“We already know how he referees Madrid (...). He’s the referee behind the biggest officiating scandal of recent years,” they stated after the announcement that he would referee the final.
Silence from Clásico final officials
In this climate – perhaps to avoid further controversy or simply due to a shift in protocol – there will be no pre-match press conference, unlike last year’s Super Cup. Neither Gil Manzano nor Javier Iglesias Villanueva, the VAR official from Galicia, will address the media before the game. Instead, Gil Manzano will give an interview to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which will distribute the content.
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