FC Barcelona is preparing to face Real Betis on the ninth matchday of the League, with the Basque referee Ricardo deBurgosBengoetxea in charge of the match and the VAR assistant, Carlos delCerroGrande. The match, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on DAZN, promises to be a challenge for the Barça team, which has already recorded 29 wins, one draw and five losses under the direction of DeBurgosBengoetxea. In contrast, Betis has seen this referee in 17 wins, six draws and ten losses in their matches.
DeBurgosBengoetxea's career in Spanish football is marked by moments of great relevance. Among the most remembered is the 2025 Copa del Rey final, where he directed the match between Barça and Real Madrid at La Cartuja. The match ended 3‑2 in favor of Barça in extra time, with a decisive goal from Koundé, although it was surrounded by controversies such as Valverde grabbing Cubarsí and an annulled penalty against Raphinha. In the press conference prior to the final, the referee was visibly affected by the criticism from Real Madrid TV, even shedding tears at accusations of bias.
For his part, Carlos delCerroGrande has also been the protagonist of controversies in recent years. In 2024, Barça lost 1‑0 against Real Sociedad after Lewandowski's goal was disallowed for offside, following an image showing the Polish striker's foot being too long. A year later, in the same stadium and against the same rival, the referee annulled Fermín's goal due to a dubious foul by Olmo and a minuscule offside by an Andalusian midfielder, which resulted in a second defeat for Barça against Real Sociedad, this time 2‑1.
The match against Betis will be an opportunity for Barça to once again demonstrate its dominance at home, but also a challenge to prevent the refereeing decisions of DeBurgosBengoetxea and delCerroGrande from influencing the result. With the pressure of the league and the need to maintain its position in the table, the team led by Xavi Hernández will have to concentrate on the game and minimize any errors that could be exploited by the rival. The final result will depend on the performance of the referees and the quality of play of both teams.