Real Madrid skip pre-Copa del Rey training in protest over refs - ESPN

Real Madrid skipped their pre-Copa del Rey final news conference and training session — as well as the official photo-call — on Friday, in protest over comments made by the refereeing team ahead of the game.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti and midfielder Luka Modric had been due to speak to the media at La Cartuja stadium in Seville before the team's last training session ahead of Saturday's high-profile game against Barcelona.

A source told ESPN that Madrid were considering boycotting the final itself over the comments, although another club source told ESPN that they did not believe the situation would escalate to that extent.

Madrid had requested a change in the refereeing team, a source said, although the Spanish football federation (RFEF) denied having received any such request, when contacted by ESPN.

The club were angered by the words of referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea and video assistant referee Pablo González Fuertes earlier in the day Friday, in which they spoke about Madrid's frequent criticism of officials in videos broadcast on Real Madrid TV.

«Real Madrid C. F. considers the public statements made today by the referees appointed for the Copa del Rey final to be unacceptable,» the club said in a Spanish-language statement.

«These statements, which surprisingly focused on the videos of a media outlet protected by freedom of expression, like Real Madrid TV, made in a premeditated manner, 24 hours before, against one of the participants in the final, demonstrate, once again, a clear and manifest animosity and hostility of these referees against Real Madrid.

»Given the seriousness of what happened, Real Madrid hopes that those responsible at the RFEF and the refereeing establishment will proceed accordingly, adopting