David Fernandez Borbalan Named El Clasico 2015 Ref for Real Madrid vs. Barcelona

David Fernandez Borbalan has been handed one of the biggest challenges for any match official, as he’s set to referee Saturday’s Clasico showdown between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The appointment was confirmed by Marca, which noted it is the third time in Borbalan’s career that he’s been entrusted with overseeing the Clasico. 

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While the referee for these games always is examined in detail, expect Borbalan to be under added scrutiny for the match at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend.

There were allegations from an anonymous assistant referee earlier this year that suggested he was told to favour Madrid over Barcelona in the upcoming clash, per L'Esportiu (h/t Sport).

The matches between the two rivals that Borbalan has previously refereed have been spiky affairs.

Most notable of the two was the infamous second leg of the Spanish Super Cup in 2011, remembered for then-Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho poking then-Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova in the eye. On the pitch tempers flared too, with Borbalan showing seven yellow and three red cards on the night, per Marca.

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The other time Borbalan refereed a Clasico was four months on from that encounter, with Barcelona notching a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu.

Despite his experience as a match official, having been a La Liga referee for over 10 years, Spanish football journalist Rafael Hernandez doesn’t rate the 42-year-old:

While these games are special due to the quality of football on show, in recent times they’ve also become bitter affairs. 

It makes the referee's job extremely difficult and, while it’s an honour for Borbalan to be handed such a high-profile game, there are few in the profession who will envy him as soon as matters get inevitably heated at the Bernabeu.