Atlético Madrid player Ángel Correa has been sanctioned with a five-match suspension following his sending-off last weekend against Getafe. The Disciplinary Committee of the RFEF officially announced the ban, which represents the minimum possible punishment.
Last weekend, Atlético Madrid played against Getafe, a match that Getafe won 2-1. During the game, Ángel Correa received a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Djené. After being shown the red card, Correa insulted referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernández. The referee documented the incident in his report: “In the 88th minute, player Ángel Martín Correa Martínez was sent off for the following reason: making a tackle on an opponent in a ball dispute with excessive force. After showing him the red card, the player addressed me in the following terms: ‘Son of a bitch, coward. Motherfucker.'”
Minimum Possible Sanction
The penalty for insulting or disrespecting a referee, according to Article 99 of the Disciplinary Code, ranges from four to twelve matches. Ultimately, the Argentinian player has been sanctioned with the minimum punishment: four matches for the insult plus one for the direct red card. As a result of this ban, Correa will miss his team’s next five domestic fixtures: La Liga matches against Barcelona, Espanyol, Sevilla, and Valladolid, as well as the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona.
Despite the player’s immediate apology, his remorse was not considered a mitigating factor in reducing the sanction. The Disciplinary Committee explained: “Finally, while the player’s reaction through his social media is commendable, these apologies cannot strictly be considered and have the intended effects of spontaneous remorse as a mitigating circumstance, especially when this disciplinary body considers it appropriate motu proprio to impose the minimum suspension of four matches provided for in Article 99 of the RFEF Disciplinary Code.” Correa’s apology on social media read: “I want to apologize to referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernández for my reaction after being sent off. My respect for referees is total, and this reaction is not typical of me. I was very frustrated at leaving the team with ten men at such a crucial moment, and I reacted in the worst way. I hope you accept my sincerest apologies. I also want to apologize to my teammates, coaches, and our fans for an action I should not have taken and that has cost us dearly.” Despite these apologies, the Disciplinary Committee has officially imposed a five-match ban.