Given the sensitivity of the upcoming fixture, the choice fell on the renowned English referee Michael Oliver.
This will be the fifth match Oliver has refereed involving Real Madrid in European competitions, with mixed results in previous encounters, most notably a 3-1 defeat to Juventus in the second leg of the 2017/18 Champions League quarter-finals, alongside a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022 UEFA Super Cup.
The English referee has also officiated two other matches involving Real Madrid, in which they beat Sporting Braga 2-1 in the group stage of the 2023/24 season and Olympiacos 4-3 in the 2025/26 edition.