The appointment of Juan Martínez Munuera to officiate today’s high-stakes clásico at the Spotify Camp Nou has arrived amid heightened tension surrounding the refereeing landscape, amplified by José Mourinho’s return to the Real Madrid bench. The designation by the Technical Committee of Referees (Comité Técnico de Árbitros) placed the 44-year-old official in the spotlight for a fixture where every decision will face intense scrutiny.
Born in Benidorm on July 13, 1982, Martínez Munuera belongs to the Valencian refereeing committee and debuted in Spain’s top flight during the 2013–2014 season (ABC). Over his career in La Liga, he has accumulated 233 league appearances, issuing 1,096 yellow cards and 26 direct red cards while awarding 74 penalties.
Historical Records and Previous Clásicos
Across all competitions, Martínez Munuera has officiated FC Barcelona in 37 matches, resulting in 24 wins, six draws, and seven defeats for the Catalan side, alongside eight penalties in their favor and two player expulsions. For Real Madrid, he has overseen 46 encounters, yielding 30 victories, nine draws, and seven losses, with 12 penalties awarded and one red card shown to the club.
Focusing specifically on head-to-head clásicos, the referee has managed four prior meetings between the two giants. Real Madrid holds the upper hand in those encounters with three victories, including a 1-3 defeat of Barcelona in October 2020 (ABC), a 0-4 Copa del Rey semifinal second-leg win at the Camp Nou in 2023, and a 4-1 Spanish Super Cup triumph in January 2024. Barcelona’s lone victory under his watch in this fixture came as a 0-4 away win at the Santiago Bernabéu during the 2021–22 La Liga campaign.
Martínez Munuera Faced Disputes in VAR Room
While Martínez Munuera has generally managed on-pitch controversies, his record in the video assistant referee room includes notable flashpoints. During a 2025 encounter at Montjuïc won 4-3 by Barcelona—a result that helped secure the league title for Flick’s squad—Hernández Hernández served as the main referee with Martínez Munuera operating the VOR room (La Vanguardia). That match featured heavy disputes, including an unpunished potential red-card challenge and an uncalled penalty handling offense involving Aurélien Tchouaméni.
For tonight’s fixture, Javier Iglesias Villanueva will manage the VAR operations ABC, supporting a refereeing team operating under heightened scrutiny following recent public friction between Real Madrid and officiating bodies.
🚨 OFFICIAL: Martínez Munuera is the referee for El Clásico. pic.twitter.com/Fzj7M9WYqt
