The referee for the important LaLiga match between Real Betis Balompié and Real Madrid has been appointed. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced that Alejandro Hernández will be the main official for this Friday's 9:00 PM clash at the Benito Villamarín, with Javier Iglesias on VAR. Betis, sitting seventh in the table with 6 points, hosts the provisional leader in a match of great importance for their competition aspirations.
What is Hernández's history with both teams?
Alejandro Hernández has extensive experience refereeing both contenders. For Real Madrid, he has officiated 37 of their LaLiga matches, with a record of 20 Madrid wins, 6 draws, and 11 losses. His last match with Los Blancos was last season's Camp Nou Clásico, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Barcelona. With Real Betis Balompié, the Canary Islands referee's record shows 29 games, with 9 Verdiblanco wins, 7 draws, and 13 defeats. His last match with Betis was precisely against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu last season, a match the hosts won 5-1.
How has Hernández fared in derbies in Seville?
The referee is no stranger to clashes between these two teams in the Andalusian capital. He has refereed three matches between Betis and Real Madrid in Seville. The balance in those duels is two victories for the visiting side and one for the home team. Betis's only win under his officiating in this setting came in the 2024-25 season, when the Verdiblancos won 2-1. This fact adds an extra point of interest to his appointment for Friday's match.
What is Betis's condition heading into the match?
Real Betis Balompié faces this challenge after an irregular start to the season, with two wins and one loss in their first three games. The team has scored 4 goals but conceded 5, leaving a negative goal difference of -1. In the standings, they are 3 points behind leaders Barcelona. Manuel Pellegrini will also have to contend with several significant absences for this clash. According to our verified data, players Aitor Ruibal, Diego Conde, Giovani Lo Celso, and Ángel Ortiz are currently sidelined, a situation that can be checked on our injuries page.
What comes next for Betis?
Regardless of the result against Real Madrid, Real Betis Balompié's schedule does not stop. The team's next official commitment will be a visit to San Mamés to face Athletic Club on December 20th. The Bilbao side currently occupies twelfth place in the table. Fans can follow the team's progress and check the rest of the calendar in our fixtures section. The refereeing appointment of Alejandro Hernández for Friday's match concludes the administrative preparations for a duel that promises great intensity at the Benito Villamarín.
