Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez appointed to referee Real Madrid v Real Betis

Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez has been appointed to referee Real Madrid’s La Liga meeting with Real Betis on Friday evening, a decision likely to attract significant attention because of the controversy that has surrounded the Spanish official throughout his career.

The appointment was confirmed by the refereeing committee of the Spanish Football Federation ahead of the fourth round of the league season. The match at the Santiago Bernabeu is already expected to generate debate before kick-off, given Hernandez Hernandez’s previous involvement in high-profile fixtures involving Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Hernandez Hernandez has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2014 and is regarded as one of the leading officials in European football, having been included among UEFA’s elite referees. He was also selected as one of the referees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

His career has included several major appointments, and he was named Spain’s best referee in 2017. However, his reputation has also been shaped by a series of contentious matches, particularly those involving Real Madrid and Barcelona in El Clasico.

The 42-year-old previously refereed a meeting between Real Madrid and Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu in January. Real Madrid won that match 5-1.

He has also already taken charge of a game this season between Atletico Madrid and Villarreal. That fixture included two penalty decisions and the sending-off of Robin Le Normand.

Despite his status and experience, Hernandez Hernandez has frequently been the subject of criticism from supporters of both Real Madrid and Barcelona. One of the most regularly revisited stories concerns an interview he gave when he was 12 years old, during which he said that Barcelona was the team he supported.

That comment has repeatedly resurfaced whenever he has been appointed to referee Real Madrid matches. There has, however, been no official action or decision questioning his impartiality, and no ruling preventing him from overseeing games involving the Spanish club.

Real Madrid’s official television channel has also criticised Hernandez Hernandez on several occasions. It has broadcast reports highlighting what it described as “refereeing errors” that harmed the club, particularly after he was selected for El Clasico matches.

The channel has argued that Hernandez Hernandez made influential decisions against Real Madrid in a number of games over recent years. Those criticisms have contributed to the heightened focus on his appointment for Friday’s fixture.

The match against Real Betis comes with added sensitivity because of the referee’s long history of controversy and the attention that follows him whenever he is involved in a Real Madrid game. The referee’s appointment is therefore likely to remain a major talking point in the build-up to the contest, regardless of the outcome.

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