Fede Valverde of Real Madrid receives one-match suspension following red card in derby match.
Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde received a one-match suspension from the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee due to his red card during the club’s 3-2 derby victory over Atlético Madrid on Sunday.
Referee José Luis Munuera dismissed Valverde in the 77th minute of the LaLiga match at the Bernabéu, issuing a straight red for a challenge on Atlético’s Álex Baena, which left Madrid to defend a slim one-goal advantage with 10 players.
As per the official match report filed by Munuera, the expulsion was for “kicking an opponent when [the ball] was not within playing distance, using excessive force.”
In their weekly video analysis of officials’ decisions published on Tuesday, the CTA stated that Munuera’s ruling — along with the Video Assistant Referee’s choice not to intervene — was “appropriate.”
“In this incident, the Real Madrid player contested for the ball in midfield,” a CTA representative explained. “[Valverde] executed a challenge from behind, arriving late, making contact with the ankle and lacking a genuine opportunity to play the ball.
“The referee issued a straight red card, interpreting that he kicked the opponent, without being able to play the ball, and using excessive force. The VAR room, after reviewing the footage from multiple angles, confirmed that the point of contact, the nature of the action, and the intensity were consistent with serious foul play.”
Valverde is presently on international duty with Uruguay for friendly matches against England and Algeria. He will miss Madrid’s game against Mallorca on April 4 but is eligible to return for the match against Girona on April 10.
