Reason behind referee designation for VAR in Copa del Rey draws fury

In an increasingly modern football, where players express their identity with eye-catching hairstyles, tattoos and catalog beards, there is a figure that remains, almost as a rule, a blank canvas. It is the referee. Impeccably uniformed, with sober gestures and neutral presence, elite collegiate rarely, to say the least, wear visible tattoos or beard. It is not an official norm imposed by FIFA or UEFA, but it is one of those unwritten laws that …

Days before the start of the Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona, controversy has escalated in the Spanish media following the announcement by the Spanish Football Federation that referee Ricardo de Borges has been appointed to officiate the highly anticipated match...

Reason behind referee designation for VAR in Copa del Rey draws fury

Real Madrid and Barcelona will do battle in Seville on Saturday night in the Copa del Rey final, and rightly or probably wrongly, the referee will be at the centre of attention. However it is the designation of the VAR that has drawn criticism in the lead-up to the game.Los Blancos have been in a long-running mud-slinging campaign against the officials in Spain, while Barcelona have been no stranger to publicly decrying decisions from referees i…