Jude Bellingham Accuses Referee of Favouring Barcelona in Real Madrid Copa del Rey Final Defeat

Saturday night’s Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona ended not just with a trophy lifted but also with heavy controversy — and at the heart of it all was Jude Bellingham.

The English midfielder was caught on television cameras furiously confronting the referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, accusing him of favouring Barcelona throughout the high-stakes match in Seville.

Barcelona eventually emerged victorious with a 3-2 win after extra time, thanks to a stunning strike by Jules Kounde. Yet, the tension between players, referees, and emotions boiling over overshadowed much of the football.

In the lead-up to the final, refereeing had already taken center stage. De Burgos Bengoetxea had broken down in tears during the officials’ pre-match press conference, speaking emotionally about the pressures and criticisms referees face in Spain. That made Saturday’s battle all the more delicate.

As the first half concluded with the scoreline delicately poised, Bellingham’s anger became visible. Heading into the tunnel, the cameras captured him shouting at the officials, telling them: “Make him understand, everything is going their [Barcelona’s] way, everything 50-50 goes their way.” Madrid captain Lucas Vazquez tried to pull Bellingham away, but the frustration was clear.

The second half was even more chaotic. After the final whistle, tempers completely flared. Bellingham himself was eventually sent off for what was described as an “aggressive attitude” towards the referees, while Antonio Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez also saw red in the final chaotic moments.

According to the official post-match report filed by De Burgos Bengoetxea, Rudiger had thrown an object — later identified as an ice cube — toward the referee, narrowly missing him.

“In the 120th minute, player (22) Rüdiger, Antonio, was sent off for throwing an object from the technical area, which missed me,” the referee wrote. “After being shown the red card, he had to be restrained by several members of the coaching staff, displaying an aggressive attitude.”

Lucas Vazquez also earned a red card for entering the pitch from the technical area in protest of a decision, while Bellingham was cited for his post-match behavior. “After the end of the match, he approached our position in an aggressive attitude, having to be restrained by his teammates,” the report continued.

The scenes were chaotic. Rudiger, particularly, had to be held back by six people, including Ferland Mendy and Jesus Vallejo, before he could inflict more trouble. He even made a second attempt to confront De Burgos after the match, only to be stopped by Madrid’s goalkeeping coach Luis Llopis and Andrii Lunin.

After the game, Dani Garrido of Carrusel Deportivo did not mince his words. “I’m deeply saddened by Vinicius and Rudiger’s reaction. Rudiger’s attitude, especially, was deplorable. Lucas may have insulted, Vinicius came off like a madman, but what Rudiger did is unforgivable, and he’s going to get a historic ban.”

On the pitch, Barcelona were ecstatic. Pedri had given them an early lead before Kylian Mbappe — who had started on the bench due to injury — leveled the score midway through the second half.

Real Madrid then looked set to claim the cup when Aurelien Tchouameni gave them a 2-1 advantage, but Ferran Torres stunned them late, leveling the tie in the 84th minute and forcing extra time.

Controversy also raged earlier in the match over penalty claims. Barcelona felt aggrieved twice in the first half — first when Federico Valverde’s handball inside the box went unpunished, and again when Dani Ceballos clearly pulled Pau Cubarsi’s shirt during a corner.

Even VAR denied Barcelona later in the second half, after what seemed a blatant foul on Raphinha by Raul Asencio. The decisions only fueled Real Madrid’s suspicions that the calls were not in their favor, though Barcelona fans will argue that they were the ones unfairly treated.

Eventually, Jules Kounde’s thunderous strike from the edge of the box sealed Barcelona’s triumph, sparking celebrations and hopes of a historic treble.

Hansi Flick’s men now sit four points clear at the top of La Liga and are preparing to face Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals. Another Copa del Rey added to the trophy cabinet suggests that the new era under Flick could bring an avalanche of silverware back to Camp Nou.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are left facing not just the disappointment of losing but serious consequences for player conduct, with Rudiger, Bellingham, and Vazquez likely to receive significant suspensions.

And for Bellingham, what should have been a career-defining night turned into a flashpoint — one that could haunt him as much as the loss itself