A Barcelona man witnessed the great Copa collapse: who is the referee for the Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano clash?

Refereed the Royal Whites' Copa del Rey knockout defeat against Albacete

The Professional Referees Committee today handed Víctor García Verdura the whistle for the eagerly awaited clash at the Santiago Bernabéu. The decision lands just days after the refereeing storm that trailed the royal side's previous outing.

Based in Barcelona, García Verdura belongs to Spain's fast-rising generation of officials. As "Mundo Deportivo" had confirmed, he earned the international badge on 1 January 2027, the crowning moment of a striking rise.

Tomorrow's game will be his third in La Liga this season and his fifth in charge of a Real Madrid fixture in the competition.

His record with Los Merengues carries mixed memories. Three wins, one defeat. The irony? That solitary loss came in the last match he officiated for Real Madrid, a stunning Copa del Rey upset last season when Los Blancos went down 3-2 to Albacete at the Carlos Belmonte in the round of 16.

Rayo Vallecano, the visitors, know him well. He has taken charge of eight of their matches, making them the sixth most refereed team in his career. Their record under him reads three wins, four draws and one defeat, that loss coming at their Vallecas stronghold against Villarreal in the 2024-2025 season.

García Verdura last officiated a Rayo Vallecano fixture in round 26 of last season, when he oversaw their 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao at Vallecas.

Canary referee Juan Luis Pulido Santana will run the VAR room, adding a further layer of precision to a match set to fall under the close scrutiny of fans and media alike.