Ref Undiano Mallenco to take charge of 'Clásico' on 23 March

Referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco will take charge of the ‘Clásico’ on 23 March (21:00 CET). The 40-year-old official also took charge of October’s meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou – a match which saw Los Blancos unsuccessfully claim penalties for an Adriano handball and a clear push by Javier Mascherano on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Undiano Mallenco has overseen 37 La Liga matches involving Real Madrid (23 wins, seven draws and seven defeats for the capital club), while he has previously been appointed to 35 Barça encounters (20 wins, 12 draws and three defeats).
This will be Undiano Mallenco’s ninth ‘Clásico’. The Pamplona official has taken charge of six meetings between the two sides in La Liga (five at the Camp Nou and one at the Santiago Bernabéu), with Barcelona victorious on four occasions, Real Madrid winning once and one clash ending all square. His only ‘Clásico’ in Madrid saw Pep Guardiola’s Barça outfit claim a 6-2 triumph in season 2008-09. He was also the man in the middle as José Mourinho’s Madrid secured a 2-1 away win over the Blaugrana to all but seal the 2011-12 league title.
It is the first time that the referee has been selected for both matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid in a league campaign. In addition to his six La Liga ‘Clásicos’, Undiano Mallenco also refereed the 2011 Copa del Rey final (won 1-0 by Madrid), and was chosen for last season’s Copa semi-final second leg at the Camp Nou, in which he awarded the visitors a spot-kick on their way to a 3-1 win.