Barcelona, Real Madrid Learn Familiar Identity of El Clasico Referee

The first Clásico of the season is rearing up on the horizon, with Barcelona scheduled to host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Oct. 25.

The meeting of Spain’s two giants will be the first since Barça confirmed the 2025–26 title with a 2–0 win over Madrid at Camp Nou back in May, and the first since José Mourinho’s return to La Liga.

Madrid will be desperate to make up ground in the title after going six points behind prior to the international break, while the presence of Mourinho adds extra spice to one of Europe’s most heated fixtures. The new manager has already raised the temperature in La Liga, bringing printouts of controversial refeerering decisions to the post-match press conference following the Madrid derby.

According to reports in Spain, the man in charge of keeping things under control in the Clásico will be referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández.

Speaking on Radio MARCA, journalist Roberto Gómez named Hernández as the man in the middle for the upcoming clash, though the official has not yet been confirmed by La Liga or Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

Responding to the news, the pro-Madrid MARCA host Raúl Varela responded: “Well that’s bad news ... I don’t like him as a referee, I don’t like his history in the Clásicos. I see it as absolutely unnecessary. I think it’s a wrong decision.”

Assuming Hernández does take the field on Oct. 25, what is his record as a referee and what does it mean for both teams?

Clásico Veteran

Alejandro Hernández Hernández — Hernández was in charge of May’s meeting between the teams. | Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Hernández, 43, is no stranger to La Liga’s biggest fixture and has previously taken charge of six Clásicos—most recently officiating the last meeting between the teams at the end of 2025–26.

In the Clásicos Hernández has refereed, Real Madrid have won just once (back in 2015–16), while Barça have been victorious three times. The other two meetings have ended as draws.

The Canary Islander has only even given out two red cards previously, one for Sergi Roberto in a 2–2 draw at Camp Nou in 2023 and one for Sergio Ramos in 2017. He averages 3.3 yellow cards per Clásico.

Date	Result	Red Cards	Yellow Cards
April, 2016	Barcelona 1–2 Real Madrid	0	3
April, 2017	Real Madrid 2–3 Barcelona	1	2
May, 2018	Barcelona 2–2 Real Madrid	1	3
December, 2019	Barcelona 0–0 Real Madrid	0	3
May, 2025	Barcelona 4–3 Real Madrid	0	4
May, 2026	Barcelona 2–0 Real Madrid	0	2

In total, Hernández has refereed Barcelona 42 times, and La Blaugrana maintain a record of 26 wins, 12 draws, and only four defeats when he has officiated. He also taken charge of 37 Real Madrid games—21 wins, six draws, and ten losses.

Hernández was also selected as Spain’s sole referee at the 2026 World Cup and took charge of three group stage matches in North America.

The ‘Ghost Goal’ and Other Controversies

Barcelona 4–3 Real Madrid, 2025. — No penalty was awarded for Aurélien Tchouaméni’s handball in 2025. | Pedro Salado/Getty Images

The most high-profile controversy of Hernández’s career came back in February, 2017 when he failed to award a goal in a match between Barcelona and Real Betis, when Jordi Alba’s shot crossed the line before defender Aissa Mandi was able to clear it.

Without the benefit of goal-line technology, Hernández waved play on—a decision the referee later publicly admitted was incorrect—with the match finishing 1–1.

"When the incident occurs, the match ends, and you see the replay, you're obviously devastated. I'd be lying if I said otherwise,” he told Movistar+.

Several years later in the frantic 4–3 Clásico of 2025, Hernández’s decision-making came under scrutiny from both sets of fans.

A Barcelona equalizer was allowed to stand despite a possible Frenkie de Jong handball in the buildup. Later in the game, the referee failed to award Barça a penalty for another handball by Aurélien Tchouaméni.

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