Aitor Paredes faces a ban that puts Athletic in a tight spot | OneFootball

The Athletic Club received a tough blow in their last Round of 16 match of the Copa del Rey against Cultural Leonesa.

Despite advancing to the next round, the news that grabbed all the attention was not the result, but the expulsion of Aitor Paredes. The red-and-white center-back received a direct red card at a critical moment, leaving his team with one less player for the remainder of the match.

The report reflected it

The reason for the expulsion was clearly stated in the report written by the referee at the end of the match. According to the official document, Paredes addressed the match official shouting "you're a coward", a phrase the referee did not overlook, leading to his immediate removal from the field.

This type of disrespect towards the refereeing authority is usually punished harshly by the Disciplinary Committee, based on the current disciplinary code of the RFEF.

At least two matches

Regarding the possible sanction, the scenario for the Basque defender is concerning. As it was a direct disrespect, the minimum punishment usually stipulated is two matches of suspension.

However, the severity of the words and the context of the match could aggravate the final decision. If the Committee decides to apply the article corresponding to insults or more serious offensive attitudes, the sanction could easily escalate to up to four matches or more.

This situation poses a puzzle for Ernesto Valverde, who loses a fundamental piece in the defensive scheme of the "lions". The club is now awaiting the official resolution to know if they will be able to count on the player in the upcoming matches or if they will need to seek long-term alternatives.

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

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