Martinez Munuera receives strong official assessment after El Clasico test

Martinez Munuera has been given a positive assessment for his handling of El Clasico at Camp Nou, despite the intense dispute between Real Madrid and Barcelona over refereeing standards.

The Alicante referee was judged by the technical committee of referees to have produced a good performance, controlling the match without becoming the main focus of attention, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

The game was the fifth El Clasico officiated by Martinez Munuera. AS reported that he demonstrated the experience required to manage one of the most tense and fiercely contested fixtures in Spanish football.

Matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid can be changed by a single flashpoint, with a minor incident capable of escalating quickly. However, the newspaper said no such situation developed at Camp Nou on this occasion.

Refereeing sources consulted by AS agreed that Martinez Munuera could possibly have shown a few more yellow cards. None of the incidents, though, was considered a serious error by the official.

One of the most debated moments came when Joao Cancelo challenged Diomande. Real Madrid appealed for the Barcelona player to be sent off, but neither the referee nor the video assistant referee considered the tackle serious enough to warrant a red card.

Martinez Munuera did misjudge the appropriate punishment for the incident. The contact by Cancelo on the Real Madrid player’s calf should have resulted in a yellow card, according to the technical committee’s assessment, but no booking was issued.

The video assistant referee was nevertheless correct not to intervene because the challenge did not meet the threshold for a direct red card.

The referee and VAR were also both judged to have made the right decision when Alejandro Balde appeared to touch the ball with his hand. The ball struck that part of the Barcelona player’s body, but the incident did not constitute an offence.

The decision was correctly assessed on the field, allowing Martinez Munuera to leave Camp Nou with an overall positive refereeing evaluation.

Listed La Liga fixtures

– Barcelona v Deportivo Alaves 31 October 2026 – Racing Santander v Real Madrid 1 November 2026