2 weeks Ago By Daniel Hepburn
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid cancelled all their pre-match proceedings after their appeal to replace the match officials was rejected and, thus, they were reportedly debating whether to pull out of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona – but once, in 2000, it was La Blaugrana who forfeited their semi-final. Taking matters to the next level, Real Madrid TV released a video on Thursday of the appointed referee, Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea, and every decision he’s made in the past that has penalised the silverware-chasing club from the Spanish capital. GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Barcelona are record winners of the Copa del Rey, having won it on 31 different occasions.
Per The Athletic , there is an ever-growing belief that Jude Bellingham and Co. will lock horns with Hansi Flick’s men at the Esatdio Olimpico de Sevilla. That’s after Bengoetxea became visibly emotional after talking about the impact on his family.
Barcelona Once Forfeited Copa del Rey Semi-Final Back in 2000, when Atletico Madrid, Los Blancos’ cross-city rivals, were their opponents for the semi-final, Barcelona contacted the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and asked whether the showpiece could be re-scheduled for a host of reasons. The Spanish – and European, for that matter! – behemoths were 3-0 down after losing the first leg and, as such, understood that losing was not on the cards. That was until one of the most controversial episodes in Spanish football history unravelled.
Ahead of time, Barcelona had issued a postponement request after learning that they were having to play without a handful of key players – Rivaldo, Luis Figo, Patrick Kluivert all spring to mind. Unavailable players were either nursing an injury or away on international duty due to a scheduled FIFA international break. Spearheaded by Angel Maria Villar at the time, the RFEF denied said request, which sent the record winners of the competition into meltdown.
Barcelona president Jose Luis Nunez demanded his players not to play. A bunch of familiar faces, including Pep Guardiola, Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez alongside some lesser-known stars and two goalkeepers, could all be seen standing on the side of the pitch before the former, the captain of the side, conversed with the officials and the Atleti skipper. Watch the video below: After creating a surreal scene – one that will prevail the test of time – the club released a powerful statement: “FC Barcelona cannot allow its players to participate in the match, as it considers the call-up to be null and void; it violates the club’s sporting, social and financial rights’ and finally, because it cannot support a federative decision that undermines, devalues and discredits an official competition.
” FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will meet for the third time this season in the Copa del Rey final in Seville on Saturday. Adding to that, Barcelona also stated that playing under such unfair conditions would cause disrespect to their opponents, Atleti, the match-going supporters, members, sponsors and – quite dramatically – King Juan Carlos I of Spain. The Camp Nou faithful in attendance, who were backing their team’s decision, could be heard chanting “Second place, second place” to their semi-final opponents.
That proved true as Espanyol beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in the 2000 Copa del Rey..
