Hernandez Hernandez is reportedly the leading candidate to referee the clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, 25 October, in the 10th round of La Liga.
Spanish journalist Roberto Gomez announced the news on the La Tribu programme on Radio Marca, saying Hernandez Hernandez would take charge of the meeting between the two Spanish giants.
The report immediately prompted an unfavourable reaction from the programme’s presenter, Raul Varela, who replied: “Well, that is bad news.”
According to Marca, Varela then joked that a campaign to prevent the appointment had already begun.
“Now the campaign to stop that starts. Well, tomorrow it might be Fran Soto…” he said, appearing to suggest that the referee could still be changed because of the presenter’s opposition.
Varela later explained why he did not want Hernandez Hernandez to officiate the fixture.
“I don’t like him as a referee, and I don’t like his record in clasicos. I think it is completely unnecessary. I believe it is the wrong decision,” he said.
Gomez responded: “You’ve just ruined it.”
When Gomez asked which other referees Varela would prefer for one of the most important matches in Spanish football, the presenter named Martinez Munuera as one option.
“I would prefer Martinez Munuera, for example. I like that referee a lot,” Varela said.
He also mentioned De Burgos Bengoetxea, describing him as “a good person and a good referee”.
The discussion comes ahead of the meeting at Camp Nou, with Hernandez Hernandez’s possible appointment already attracting criticism from Madrid-based media before the referee has been officially confirmed.
The source also listed La Liga fixtures involving Barcelona against Getafe and Real Madrid against Villarreal on 10 October 2026.
