El Clasico referee watch: Alberola Rojas’ record and controversial calls ahead of Barcelona vs Real Madrid

El Clasico referee watch: Alberola Rojas’ record and controversial calls ahead of Barcelona vs Real Madrid As per journalist Edu Garcia (h/t Alfredo Martinez ), Javier Alberola Rojas is set to referee Sunday’s El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. His appointment is one that could attract considerable scrutiny from Real Madrid supporters. Real Madrid are set to take on league leaders Barcelona against the backdrop of a turbulent period for refereeing in Spanish football . Los Blancos have repeatedly felt hard done by over certain refereeing decisions, with the games against Atletico Madrid and Villarreal in particular drawing criticism. With Jose Mourinho’s side six points behind Barcelona, the stakes are enormous. The last thing they can afford is to fall nine points behind the Catalan giants. In that context, Alberola’s previous decisions involving Real Madrid, including several disputed penalty appeals, could worry Madrid. Alberola Rojas’ record with Real Madrid and Barcelona Alberola has officiated in La Liga since 2017, earning a reputation as a relatively lenient referee. He hands out approximately 3.6 yellow cards per league match. Real Madrid have registered 12 wins, three draws and four defeats in games officiated by him, giving them a 63% winning rate. Barcelona’s record is noticeably stronger, with ten victories, two draws and just one defeat across 13 matches, equivalent to a 77% winning rate. Alberola Rojas appears set to officiate the Clasico . (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) These figures do not necessarily establish favouritism, but the contrast will undoubtedly attract attention among Real Madrid supporters. Alberola has not previously officiated a competitive El Clasico , and Sunday will be his first taste of managing the marquee fixture. Controversial decisions against Real Madrid One of Alberola’s most disputed performances came during Real Madrid’s 3-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid in September 2023. Los Merengues complained about an apparent foul on Jude Bellingham before Atletico’s opening goal, but to no avail. Alberola Rojas also disallowed an Eduardo Camavinga goal for interference by Antonio Rudiger, who was in an offside position. Later, Jose Maria Gimenez escaped with just a yellow card following a dangerous challenge on Rodrygo. Another controversial incident occurred during Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in March 2024. Rodrygo was again at the forefront as he went down in the penalty area, but Alberola had already blown the whistle to stop play. There was no clarity as to why the whistle was blown, and it was a moment that unsurprisingly left Real Madrid fans agitated. The frustrations continued against Real Betis in September 2024. Alberola rejected Real Madrid’s penalty appeals for a handball by Diego Llorente and a challenge by Youssouf Sabaly on Dani Ceballos. Real Madrid have been on the receiving end of several dodgy calls from Alberola Rojas. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images) He eventually awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Rui Silva brought down Vinicius Jr., but even that needed a VAR intervention. Despite the team winning 2-0, Real Madrid TV strongly criticised the officiating, describing the proceedings as unacceptable. Alberola also oversaw Real Madrid’s 5-2 defeat against Atletico in September 2025. On that occasion, he awarded a penalty after Arda Guler caught Nico Gonzalez with a high boot. Even that decision did not come without controversy, with questions over whether the challenge warranted a penalty. Recent decisions in the Barcelona game add another dimension Alberola Rojas’ handling of Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Villarreal in December 2025 tells another story. He awarded Barcelona a penalty following a challenge on Raphinha and dismissed Renato Veiga for a dangerous tackle on Lamine Yamal. Villarreal questioned the dismissal after the game, with then-head coach Marcelino less than pleased with how the referee handled it. The concern for Real Madrid is not that Barcelona were getting decisions in their favour, but that similar decisions were going against them in their games. Sunday’s match will put that theory to the test. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have unpredictable attackers who tend to be fouled excessively. It remains to be seen how the referee goes about protecting them and whether he applies the same rules to players from both teams. Jose Mourinho’s side may be wary of the refereeing, but they cannot let it become a distraction ahead of the marquee encounter. If the focus after the game remains on the football, it will mean Alberola Rojas has had a good game, and it remains to be seen how things pan out.