According to a report by Madrid Universal on Monday, October 19, 2026, Javier Alberola Rojas is expected to officiate Sunday's El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with his previous decisions involving Los Blancos likely to come under scrutiny ahead of the highly anticipated fixture.

Madrid Universal reported that journalist Edu Garcia, citing Alfredo Martinez, disclosed that Alberola Rojas is set to oversee the showdown between the two Spanish giants.

The appointment comes at a decisive stage of the La Liga title race, with Barcelona holding a six-point advantage over Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho's team will be eager to win the encounter and narrow the gap, while a defeat would leave them nine points behind their arch-rivals.

However, the referee's previous record in matches involving both sides has already generated discussion, particularly among Real Madrid supporters who have voiced their displeasure over several decisions in past encounters.

Alberola Rojas has officiated in La Liga since 2017 and is regarded as a relatively lenient referee, averaging around 3.6 yellow cards per league game.

According to the report, Real Madrid have registered 12 victories, three draws and four defeats in the 19 matches he has refereed involving the club. This gives Los Blancos a winning percentage of approximately 63 per cent.

Barcelona, on the other hand, have recorded a better overall return under his supervision, winning ten, drawing two and losing just one of their 13 matches with him as the referee.

The figures give the Catalan side a winning rate of roughly 77 per cent, although the statistics alone do not prove that Alberola Rojas favours Barcelona.

Notably, Sunday's fixture would mark the referee's first competitive El Clasico, adding further pressure to an appointment that has already attracted considerable attention.

One of the most disputed matches involving Alberola Rojas and Real Madrid took place in September 2023, when Los Blancos suffered a 3-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid protested an alleged foul on Jude Bellingham before Atletico scored their opening goal, but the referee allowed the goal to stand.

He also ruled out an Eduardo Camavinga goal because Antonio Rudiger was in an offside position and was deemed to have interfered with play.

Another controversial moment involved Atletico defender Jose Maria Gimenez, who received only a yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Rodrygo.

These incidents fuelled dissatisfaction with the officiating, as Real Madrid supporters questioned the referee's interpretation of several key moments.

Additional controversy emerged during Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Athletic Club in March 2024.

Rodrygo went down inside the penalty area in an incident that attracted attention, but Alberola Rojas had already stopped play by blowing his whistle. The decision reportedly angered some Madrid supporters and raised questions about the timing of the stoppage.

Real Madrid also appealed for penalties during their September 2024 encounter against Real Betis.

Alberola Rojas dismissed appeals over a possible handball by Diego Llorente and a challenge by Youssouf Sabaly on Dani Ceballos.

He later awarded Real Madrid a penalty after goalkeeper Rui Silva brought down Vinicius Junior, although the decision required VAR intervention.

Despite Madrid securing a 2-0 victory, the club's television channel launched strong criticism of the officiating.

Alberola Rojas was also the referee when Real Madrid suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat against Atletico Madrid in September 2025.

During that match, he awarded Atletico a penalty after Arda Guler caught Nico Gonzalez with a high boot. The decision sparked debate over whether the challenge was serious enough to justify a spot-kick.