The afterglow of last season's Copa del Rey final, which ended at the end of March, has yet to dissipate, and this season's Copa del Rey final is already kicking off in the dark. Barcelona are set to face Athletic Bilbao, the rivals of Real Sociedad, who lost to them last season. The referee for this highly anticipated clash has also been announced, and it is Martinez Munuera, who has been at the helm of La Liga on several occasions. However, the referee does not seem to be Barcelona's mascot.
Media reports indicate that in the Barcelona matches officiated by Martinez this season, the team failed to win a single one. He has officiated a total of two Barcelona matches against Real Madrid and Cadiz. While the loss against Real Madrid might have been justifiable, the draw against Cadiz seems unexplainable. In both duels, this referee awarded penalties to Barcelona's opponents. In the national derby, Barcelona hosted against Real Madrid, the referee awarded a penalty to Real Madrid, and Barcelona eventually lost 1:3. In another match, the referee penalized Barcelona for a foul at the end of the game, and Cadiz relied on a penalty kick to draw Barcelona 1:1. This is certainly an ominous omen for Barcelona's match against Athletic Bilbao. Let's hope that the protagonists of the game are always the players. Who do you think will end up winning the title, Barcelona or Athletic Bilbao?
