Barcelona and Real Madrid Discover Who Will Officiate Their High-Stakes El Clasico Showdown

The season's first Clásico is fast approaching, with Barcelona set to welcome Real Madrid to Camp Nou on Oct. 25.

This encounter between Spain's two powerhouses will be the first since Barça clinched the 2025–26 title with a 2–0 victory over Madrid at Camp Nou in May, and the first since José Mourinho's return to La Liga.

Madrid will be eager to close the gap in the title race after falling six points adrift heading into the international break, while Mourinho's presence adds an extra layer of intrigue to one of Europe's most intense rivalries. The new boss has already stirred things up in La Liga, bringing printed copies of contentious refereeing decisions to his post-match press conference after the Madrid derby.

According to reports emerging from Spain, the official tasked with managing the Clásico will be referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández.

Speaking on Radio MARCA, journalist Roberto Gómez identified Hernández as the man set to take the whistle for the upcoming fixture, though his appointment has yet to be officially confirmed by La Liga or Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

Reacting to the news, pro-Madrid MARCA presenter Raúl Varela said: "Well that's bad news ... I don't like him as a referee, I don't like his track record in the Clásicos. I find it completely unnecessary. I think it's the wrong call."

Should Hernández indeed take charge on Oct. 25, what does his officiating record look like and what could it mean for either side?

Clásico Veteran

Hernández, 43, is well acquainted with La Liga's marquee fixture, having previously overseen six Clásicos—most recently officiating the sides' last encounter at the close of the 2025–26 season.

Of the Clásicos Hernández has refereed, Real Madrid have claimed victory just once (back in 2015–16), while Barça have triumphed on three occasions. The remaining two matches ended level.

The Canary Islander has issued only two red cards across those games—one to Sergi Roberto in a 2–2 draw at Camp Nou in 2023 and one to Sergio Ramos in 2017. He averages 3.3 yellow cards per Clásico.

Overall, Hernández has refereed Barcelona on 42 occasions, with La Blaugrana recording 26 wins, 12 draws, and just four defeats under his watch. He has also overseen 37 Real Madrid matches, during which Los Blancos have won 21, drawn six, and lost ten.

Hernández was additionally selected as Spain's only referee at the 2026 World Cup, where he officiated three group stage games across North America.

The 'Ghost Goal' and Other Controversies

The most notable controversy of Hernández's career dates back to February 2017, when he failed to award a goal in a match between Barcelona and Real Betis after Jordi Alba's effort had clearly crossed the line before defender Aissa Mandi managed to clear it.

Without goal-line technology available, Hernández allowed play to continue—a call the referee later publicly acknowledged was wrong—as the game ended 1–1.

"When the incident happens, the match ends, and you watch the replay, you're obviously devastated. I'd be lying if I said anything different," he told Movistar+.

Some years later, during the chaotic 4–3 Clásico of 2025, Hernández's officiating came under fire from supporters of both clubs.

A Barcelona equalizer was permitted to stand despite a potential Frenkie de Jong handball in the build-up. Later in the contest, the referee declined to award Barça a penalty for a separate handball by Aurélien Tchouaméni.