Who is Hernández Hernández, the referee for El Clásico? His record for Barcelona and Real Madrid

The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) has chosen Alejandro José Hernández Hernández for Sunday’s Barcelona–Real Madrid clash (3:00 p.m. ET). The Canary Islands official is in outstanding form, both for the level he has shown on the field and for his first appointment as a lead referee at this summer’s World Cup. Iglesias Villanueva will oversee VAR.

El Clásico gets World Cup ref, Hernández Hernández

Hernández Hernández steps into the spotlight. The Canary Islands referee will take charge of a Clásico that threatens to boil over. If sparks are inevitable in any Barcelona–Real Madrid game, this one carries even more combustible elements. The Catalans could clinch the league title against their fiercest rival, while Madrid arrive wounded by a disappointing season and internal unrest within the locker room. Friction has already surfaced, as seen in the recent altercation between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde.

The referee will need to manage all these factors in one of the season’s defining games. For him, it is also a reward. The appointment recognizes his consistency and high performance across the campaign, while reinforcing FIFA’s confidence ahead of the World Cup. The official was a late addition to the preliminary list but ultimately secured his place as Spain’s representative, edging out Sánchez Martínez, another of the country’s top referees.

What is Hernández Hernández’s record in Clásicos?

Hernández Hernández is no stranger to these fixtures, particularly those played in the closing stages of the season. His first Clásico came in 2015–16, when Real Madrid stunned Barcelona at Camp Nou with goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. The following season, Barcelona turned the tables at the Bernabéu with a 3–2 comeback inspired by Lionel Messi.

The next two Clásicos under his watch ended in draws: 2–2 in 2017–18 and 0–0 in 2019–20, both at Camp Nou. Nearly five years passed before he returned to officiate another, last season’s thrilling 4–3 Barcelona victory. Sunday will mark his sixth Clásico.

Hernández Hernández Barça and Madrid record

The referee is well known to both teams.

Barcelona have been officiated by him 41 times (25 wins, 12 draws, four losses), while Real Madrid have had him in charge on 37 occasions (21 wins, six draws, 10 defeats).

Despite lingering skepticism toward him from the Bernabéu, the CTA has placed its trust in his authority for one of the most high-profile games of the year.

Why is his name Hernández Hernández?

For those of you curious about the double name of our Clásico referee, this comes from the Spanish tradition of children taking the family name of both mother and father. While not extremely common, parents with the same first surname (the father’s) will pass a repeated surname to their offspring.

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