Barcelona’s center-back admitted that refereeing this final was not easy given the controversies, but the officials performed excellently. Being Basque himself, he congratulated the Basque referee.

Inigo after winning the Copa del Rey said: “I congratulate Richie and his colleagues; they were at a high level. I hope we all reach that standard. It’s unfair for them to face criticism, and we must support them. Everyone makes mistakes, and it’s tough. No one wants to be in such a position. I knew this match would have many controversies. I’m happy for him; he’s a great professional whose integrity is never questioned.”

The referees unintentionally became central figures in the final. After the controversial referees’ conference on Friday morning, Real Madrid canceled training sessions, press conferences, and the official dinner, believing the El Clasico referees should be changed.

Martinez said: “Flick asked me if I could play as a left-back, and I said yes. I gave everything for the team. You must do your duty even out of position when needed. We knew this was our day. Any other team would collapse against Real Madrid with a 1-2 scoreline, but we were confident we had to wait. Our team strength led us to victory, proving no team is at our level now. Ultimately, football won.”