In a dramatic turn of events ahead of the 2025 Copa del Rey final, set for Saturday, April 26 at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, Real Madrid has taken a firm stance by cancelling all official pre-match commitments.

 This includes skipping the pre-match press conference, training session at the stadium, and refusing to attend the official banquet organized by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

The decision, announced just hours before the scheduled 7:15 p.m. CET press conference and 8:00 p.m. CET training session, is a direct response to recent comments made by the referees appointed for the final — Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (main referee) and Pablo González Fuertes (VAR). The officials had openly criticized the ongoing external and media pressure on referees in Spanish football, a message that reportedly upset the Real Madrid leadership.

In contrast, FC Barcelona followed their planned agenda, appearing before the media and conducting their training session on the pitch at La Cartuja.

Florentino Pérez Also Backs the Boycott

Adding to the protest, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and other senior executives of the club will not attend the official gala dinner hosted by the RFEF on the eve of the final. This act further underscores the institutional discontent of the Madrid board with the current refereeing environment and the federation's handling of recent controversies.