The appointment of referee Gil Manzano to officiate the match between Real Madrid and Villarreal, part of the 28th round of La Liga, has sparked widespread controversy among the royal fans, especially with the appointment of Cuadra Fernández as the Video Assistant Referee, raising questions about the impact of refereeing decisions on the La Liga race.

The match will take place next Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 7:30 PM Cairo time, and 8:30 PM Mecca time.

Referee Gil Manzano has a controversial history with Real Madrid, the most recent instance being the disallowance of Jude Bellingham's goal in the dying seconds against Valencia in March 2024, a decision that angered the royal fans.

Despite this, Manzano has officiated two matches for Real Madrid this season, the first against Girona, which ended in a 3-0 victory for the royal team, and the second in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona, where the merengues lost 5-2.

The appointment of Cuadra Fernández as the Video Assistant Referee has also drawn sharp criticism, due to reports indicating his bias towards Atlético Madrid, and he was a subject of controversy in the Atlético vs. Getafe match when he awarded a questionable penalty to the rojiblancos after a video review.

As the competition for the La Liga title intensifies, concerns about the fairness of refereeing decisions are growing, placing the match between Real Madrid and Villarreal under scrutiny as fans await the performance of the officiating crew and its impact on the course of the game.