Real Madrid’s appeal against Huijsen’s red card is rejected | OneFootball

Real Madrid have seen their appeal against Dean Huijsen’s red card rejected by the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee, confirming the defender will serve a one-match suspension.

The 20-year-old was dismissed in the first half of Saturday’s 2-1 win over Real Sociedad for pulling down Mikel Oyarzabal as the forward ran towards goal.

Referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled that the challenge denied an obvious scoring opportunity, leaving Madrid to play with 10 men for nearly an hour at Anoeta.

Madrid argued that Oyarzabal did not have the ball under control and that Eder Militao was close enough to cover, but the disciplinary body dismissed those claims.

The committee stated that it was not their role to reassess the referee’s interpretation of the incident or to re-referee matches.

The suspension means Huijsen will miss Saturday’s La Liga fixture against Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu. It is a further setback for Xabi Alonso, who is already without Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold through injury.

Club sources indicated Madrid plan to escalate the case to the RFEF’s appeals committee in an effort to overturn the decision, although the suspension remains in place for now.

Alonso voiced his frustration after the game, suggesting the dismissal was harsh. He argued that a yellow card would have been sufficient, given the distance from goal and the presence of covering defenders.

His view was echoed by many within the club, who felt the incident highlighted inconsistencies in refereeing standards.

Huijsen himself is said to have accepted he misjudged the challenge but believed VAR should have intervened to downgrade the punishment.

Having joined from Bournemouth in the summer, the Dutch defender is still adjusting to the stricter interpretations often applied in La Liga compared to the Premier League.

The incident adds to a growing list of grievances Madrid have raised with Spain’s refereeing body. During the same game, a Kylian Mbappe goal was ruled out for a marginal offside, prompting more complaints from the club.

Real Madrid TV later announced that a report detailing controversial calls would be compiled and sent to FIFA to highlight what they describe as a pattern of unfair treatment.

Madrid’s defensive absentees mean Alonso may have to turn to David Alaba or Raul Asencio to partner Militao this weekend, with squad depth already stretched just a month into the season.