A few hours before the long-awaited clash against Real Madrid, Barça faces something that does not work in its favor: the appointment of Jesús Gil Manzano as match referee. The experienced Spanish referee will direct his fourth Clásico this Sunday evening, and his history in this poster does not bode well for the Blaugranas. In the three previous meetings refereed by Gil Manzano between the two giants of Spanish football, Real Madrid have consistently won, including the most recent La Liga clash (2-1) at the Montjuïc stadium last October.
10 red cards
Barça also has mixed memories of the finals refereed by Gil Manzano, notably that of the 2021 Spanish Super Cup, lost to Athletic Club after extra time. While overall statistics show that Barça have won 63% of matches officiated by this referee, the Catalans have often been faced with difficult decisions, such as the 10 red cards handed out against them over the years. While Flick’s team hopes to clinch a first title this season, this designation adds a layer of uncertainty ahead of an already intense duel.
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To summarize
The appointment of the referee for the final of the Spanish Super Cup is talking about the Blaugrana!
