Atletico Madrid criticise Federico Valverde’s one-match suspension
Atletico Madrid have publicly criticised Spanish football authorities after Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde was handed a one-match ban following his recent red card.
The Uruguayan international was shown a controversial straight red card with 13 minutes remaining during last week’s fiery encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Los Blancos managed to protect their 3-2 lead and secure a vital three points.
Real Madrid subsequently appealed the dismissal, but the Technical Committee of Referees upheld the decision while issuing the minimum possible suspension.
Atletico highlight disciplinary inconsistencies
The leniency of the punishment has severely irked Diego Simeone’s side, who took to social media to express their frustration.
The red-and-whites published a sarcastic message aimed directly at the Competition Committee regarding the outcome.
“Congratulations, you’re the best at this. Mission accomplished: 1 game for Valverde.”
In a follow-up post, the capital club compared the disciplinary report for the 25-year-old’s dismissal to that of Athletic Bilbao midfielder Oihan Sancet.
Questions raised over sporting justice
Sancet previously received a two-match ban for a remarkably similar challenge against Barcelona in November.
Highlighting the identical wording of both refereeing reports, Atletico suggested that external factors influenced the final verdict.
“Football fans can go on vacation with peace of mind, knowing that the colour of the jersey and the media noise do not influence the decisions of sports justice. Same committee. Same wording of the minutes. Different criteria.”
The controversy stems from an incident where the dynamic playmaker kicked Alex Baena from behind without any realistic possibility of playing the ball.
Referees defend original red card decision
Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees firmly supported the on-field decision made by match official Jose Luis Munuera Montero.
A spokesperson for the governing body clarified the rationale behind the dismissal and the subsequent video review.
“The referee showed a straight red card, interpreting that he kicked the opponent, without being able to play the ball, and using excessive force. The VAR room confirmed that the point of contact, the nature of the action and the intensity were compatible with serious foul play.”
Consequently, the influential midfielder will be unavailable for his team’s upcoming domestic fixture against relegation-threatened Mallorca this Saturday.
