Real Madrid and Club Atlético Osasuna are set to clash in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, 6 May, booked for the La Cartuja Stadium in Seville. This championship showcase will again feature VAR in the thick of the action, marking the fifth straight year the technology is used in the decisive match. The field referee for the final is Sánchez Martínez, and below is a detailed look at the VAR referee assigned for the game, along with context on past interactions with both clubs and key career milestones that may influence this high-stakes encounter.
Who is Sánchez Martínez, the referee of the Copa del Rey 2023 final: history, statistics and precedents with Real Madrid and Osasuna
Who is the VAR referee for the Copa del Rey final Real Madrid vs. Osasuna?
The VAR official for the 2023 Copa del Rey final is Santiago Jaime Latre. The experienced referee, hailing from Huesca, is 43 years old and is stepping into his first final in the role of VAR, having spent his career primarily as a on-field official before transitioning to the VAR position. This match will mark a notable moment in his refereeing journey, as he will operate from the video operation room while the on-field crew handles the play on the pitch. Latre has dedicated himself to VAR duties this season, focusing his workload away from the active whistle in league matches but ready to oversee the crucial decisions that arise in this showpiece event.
Santiago Jaime Latre has a long history of assignments involving Real Madrid, having been in the whistle for fifteen matches featuring the club. The record shows nine wins for Real Madrid, three draws, and three losses in those meetings. In contrast, Latre has officiated Osasuna eleven times, with four wins for Osasuna, five draws, and two losses. These figures provide a sense of the tactical and psychological context Latre has navigated in past encounters between the two sides, which can influence line choices, management of players, and the flow of the match when high tension and critical decisions are on the line.
In discussing the most recent interactions, Latre officiated Real Madrid on two occasions last season, with both games finishing scoreless at 0-0: one against Cádiz and the other against Betis, both in the Santiago Bernabéu, offering a glimpse into his propensity to manage tight affairs at the home venue of one of the participants. He also oversaw Osasuna twice in the 2021-2022 season, including a 0-2 Osasuna win at Granada and a 1-1 draw with Espanyol, highlighting a mixed but stable history with the club and a familiarity with the competitive environment the team faces in La Liga and cup ties.
These prior contests help in understanding how Latre might handle key moments in the final, from VAR intervention prompts to the timing of review calls and the overall tempo of the match. The experience gained across domestic competitions, particularly in high-pressure settings, will be essential as both teams push to secure the domestic cup. Such context often informs players and coaches during pre-match preparations, as well as fans watching closely for signals about how decisions may unfold under the watchful eyes of VAR in this prestigious fixture.
Source: Goal