Sánchez Martínez from Murcia will referee the Bernabéu Classic

The Murcian referee José María Sánchez Martínez has been appointed by the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to referee Saturday’s Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, ​​corresponding to the matchday 11 of LaLiga EA Sports, with the Galician Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz in charge of the VAR.

Sánchez Martínez, born in Lorca (Murcia) 41 years ago, will referee this Saturday’s Clásico, the first of the season, between a Real Madrid that aspires to equalize with Barça at the top of the table and some Blaugranas who, if they win , they will put a cushion of 6 points between them and their great rival, current champion of the competition.

It will be the fifth Clásico that Sánchez Martínez calls in LaLiga, who also directed two more duels between the Whites and Blaugranas – one in the Spanish Super Cup and the other in the Copa del Rey -.

Of the league Classics with him in charge, two were at the Santiago Bernabéu and two at the Camp Nou, with two wins and two losses for each team. In the duels at the Bernabéu, in December 2017, the result was 0-3 for Barça, with Carvajal being sent off for the whites after committing a penalty that Leo Messi converted.

In the most recent League Classic with Sánchez Martínez as a referee, Real Madrid won 3-1 against FC Barcelona on the ninth matchday of the 2022/23 season, with Rodrygo’s final goal from 11 meters.