Almeyda could face up to ten-match ban | OneFootball

Matías Almeyda found himself at the center of controversy in Spanish football following his expulsion in the 1-1 draw between Sevilla FC and Deportivo Alavés. The detailed referee's report elevated the case to the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, which is considering a sanction that could reach up to ten matches.

According to the report written by referee Iosu Galech, Almeyda was expelled in the 85th minute for repeatedly and conspicuously protesting refereeing decisions, with shouts and gestures despite previous warnings. For this conduct alone, the regulations foresee a suspension of between two and three matches.

However, the situation worsened after the expulsion. The coach initially refused to leave the technical area, which forced the match to be stopped for several minutes. Then, according to the report, he re-entered the field and stood "face to face, just a few centimeters from the referee, in a defiant and intimidating manner." This act could be classified as coercion or intimidation, with sanctions ranging from four to twelve matches.

The report also notes that, upon leaving, Almeyda kicked a water bottle aggressively and returned to the field to confront the fourth official, having to be removed by members of his coaching staff and security personnel. Each of these incidents could be added to the final penalty calculation.

The Disciplinary Committee is now evaluating whether to sanction each behavior separately or consider them part of a single continuous act. In the most severe scenario, the punishment could be historic and keep the former River Plate coach away from Sevilla's bench for several weeks.

The resolution is expected in the coming days and will set a precedent in the Spanish league, where cases of this type are usually analyzed rigorously to preserve refereeing authority and sporting order.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.