Martinez Munuera earns positive official verdict after tense El Clasico

Martinez Munuera received a positive assessment from the Technical Committee of Referees after successfully overseeing the latest El Clasico at Camp Nou, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

The Alicante referee faced a demanding assignment amid the ongoing dispute between Real Madrid and Barcelona over refereeing standards. However, the committee judged that he controlled the match effectively without becoming the main focus of attention.

The game was the fifth El Clasico officiated by Martinez Munuera. AS reported that he demonstrated the experience required to manage one of the most intense and closely contested fixtures in Spanish football.

Although encounters between Barcelona and Real Madrid can quickly escalate from an isolated incident into a much larger confrontation, no such situation developed at Camp Nou on this occasion.

Refereeing sources consulted by AS agreed that Martinez Munuera could have shown a few more yellow cards. Nevertheless, none of the incidents was considered a serious refereeing error by the Alicante official.

One of the most disputed moments involved Joao Cancelo’s challenge on Diomande. Real Madrid appealed for the Barcelona player to be sent off, but neither Martinez Munuera nor the video assistant referee considered the tackle serious enough to warrant a red card.

The referee did, however, misjudge the appropriate punishment for the incident. Cancelo’s strike against the Real Madrid player’s calf should have resulted in a yellow card, but no booking was issued.

The video assistant referee was correct not to intervene, according to the Technical Committee of Referees, because the challenge did not meet the threshold for a direct red card.

The officials also reached the right decision over another contentious moment involving Alejandro Balde. The ball struck the Barcelona player’s hand, but the contact did not constitute an offence and no free-kick or penalty was required.

The incident was correctly assessed on the field, meaning there was no need for a review. That decision, together with the overall control of the match, allowed Martinez Munuera to leave Camp Nou with a favourable evaluation of his performance.

Barcelona’s next listed La Liga fixture is against Deportivo Alaves on 31 October 2026.

Real Madrid are listed to face Racing Santander in La Liga on 01 November 2026.