Matias Almeyda was controversially sent off at half time before two penalties were awarded to Madrid, with one overturned
Sevilla head coach Matias Almeyda is furious at referee Alejandro Muniz and criticised the “very bad” officiating of the game in his side’s 2-0 defeat by Real Madrid.
Almeyda was dismissed in the tunnel at half time with Sevilla already trailing to Jude Bellingham’s first-half header. He had earlier been booked on the touchline for protesting decisions and was shown a second yellow before the teams returned for the second half.
Almeyda was raging after the match and said the red card was unjustified.
“I’m not a clown in a circus,” Almeyda said. “I have a history in football. I have my history as a man. [The red card] hurts me, and I’m obliged to talk about it, because they’ll say that I insulted the referee.
The incident that led to his dismissal was his protestations that Madrid’s Rodrygo should have received a second yellow after a foul on a Sevilla player just before the break. Rodrygo stayed on the pitch and Almeyda was shown a red card instead.
Sevilla’s situation worsened after the break when defender Marcao was sent off, leaving the visitors with 10 men. Kylian Mbappe later decided the affair in the 86th minute after a late penalty was awarded to Madrid. A second penalty was then awarded to the home side just three minutes later but it was overturned following a review by the video assistant referee.
“I’ve never seen two penalties awarded in two minutes,” said Almeyda. “There’s VAR. Today the refereeing was very poor.
“I congratulate Real Madrid on their victory, I’m not saying they benefited from it. But I’m against how bad the refereeing was. That’s why I was sent off.
“[The referee] said they were tired of me speaking to them without respect. If there’s a lack of respect, let’s hear it. If there’s rudeness, let’s hear it. I have values.”
