Referee Shuffle Ahead of Barcelona vs Atletico: Three Officials in the Frame

First option

Days before the eagerly awaited Barcelona–Atletico Madrid clash at Spotify Camp Nou, speculation grows over who will referee the match, moved up from matchday 19 due to the Spanish Super Cup in January.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the referees’ technical committee will announce the official on Monday, with three strong contenders led by Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez, Matteo Bosquets Ferrer, and Castilla‑La Mancha’s Javier Alberola Rohas.

Second option

Second option: Matteo Bosquets Ferrer, who becomes international on January 1, is the likely second pick. This will be his second assignment for these teams this season, after Barca–Vallecano 1–1 in round three where VAR was not used.

Earlier, he oversaw Atletico Madrid’s opening-round win at Espanyol, 2–1. Since rising to the top flight, Bosquets Ferrer has officiated five Barca matches, with four wins and one draw, the latest against Rayo. For Atletico Madrid, he has three matches: one win, one draw, one loss, including a 0–3 win over Valencia at Mestalla last season, and a draw in the Madrid derby last season when play was paused for 15 minutes after objects were thrown.

Third option

Third option: Javier Alberola Rohas, Castilla‑La Mancha international, who led the Madrid derby between Atletico and Real Madrid in round seven, a 5–2 Real Madrid win, and who also officiated Barcelona against Celta at Balaidos, a 4–2 Barca victory.

Note: This is a complete rewrite; header lines reflect the three candidates. The match is set to be one of the most scrutinized of the season.

Punchline 1: If football is art, the referee is the frame—and these three are the artists timed to perfection.

Punchline 2: Timing is everything in football; apparently, the whistle has its own calendar and is never offside with drama.