Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea has been assigned as the referee for one of the most anticipated matches of La Liga’s matchday 18, the Barcelona-Atletico Madrid showdown, scheduled for Saturday, December 22, at Montjuic. Assisting him in the VAR room will be Galician referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva.
This marks the first La Liga encounter between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid under De Burgos Bengoetxea’s officiating, although he has previously refereed a clash between the two sides during the 2016-2017 Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, where Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory at Atletico’s home ground.
De Burgos Bengoetxea, born in Bilbao in 1986, has substantial experience with both teams. He has officiated 29 matches involving Barcelona, yielding 24 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses for the Catalans. Meanwhile, he has refereed 32 matches involving Atletico Madrid, with the Rojiblancos achieving 22 wins, 7 draws, and 3 defeats under his whistle.
The Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) Technical Committee of Referees released the matchday officiating assignments on Thursday. Among them, Isidro Diaz de Mera Escuderos, representing the Castilla La Mancha Committee, will oversee the Real Madrid-Sevilla clash, with Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez from the Balearic Islands acting as the VAR official.
The Barcelona-Atletico Madrid match is expected to be a decisive encounter in the league, with both teams aiming to solidify their positions in the La Liga standings. De Burgos Bengoetxea’s experience and track record suggest a highly professional and well-managed game on Saturday.
