The quadruples are present in El Clásico with Munuera

Spanish referee Juan Martínez Munuera has entered the running to officiate the Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona next Sunday, joining Alberola Rojas, the frontrunner so far.

According to "Mundo Deportivo", the appointments committee of Fran Soto, Gregorio Manzano and Fernando Teixeira Vitienes settled on Alberola Rojas last Monday. The same newspaper reported today, Thursday, that Munuera has since forced his way into the picture.

Officials will confirm the referee's name at midday on Saturday.

Now in his twelfth year in the Spanish league, Martínez Munuera has held the international badge since 1 January 2015.

He is set to take charge of his sixth La Liga match this season. He has already overseen Barcelona's 3-1 win over Sevilla and Real Madrid's 4-0 defeat of Málaga.

Three wins for Real Madrid against one for Barcelona

Hand him the Clásico and it would be the fifth time he has refereed a meeting between the two sides. The previous four ended with three wins for Real Madrid and one for Barcelona.

His last Clásico came in the Spanish Super Cup final of January 2024, when Real Madrid won 4-1.

Before that, he officiated the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final in the 2022-2023 season, a 4-0 Real Madrid win at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Barcelona's only win under him came in the 29th round of the 2021-2022 league campaign, on 20 March 2022. The Catalans won 4-0, Xavi Hernández's first major victory over Real Madrid as Barcelona boss.

His first Clásico took place at the Camp Nou on 24 October 2020, a 3-1 Real Madrid win remembered for the controversial penalty awarded to Sergio Ramos.

The referee's record with the two giants of Spanish football

Martínez Munuera has taken charge of 37 Barcelona league matches, during which the side have recorded 24 wins, 6 draws and 7 defeats, including two losses to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, have played 46 of their league games under him, winning 30, drawing 9 and losing 7. No team has played more matches with Munuera as referee in the Spanish league.