Sevilla head coach Matias Almeyda has been sidelined for the next two months after receiving a seven-game touchline ban from the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee.
The sanction was confirmed on Wednesday and stems from Almeyda’s dismissal during Sevilla’s 1-1 draw with Alaves.
In a heated moment late in the contest, the Argentine was shown a red card after protesting a decision by referee Iosu Galech, before escalating the situation by confronting the official and repeatedly questioning the dismissal.
According to the disciplinary report, the ban is a cumulative punishment made up of several separate offences.
Almeyda received two matches for protesting at the referee, one match for failing to leave the pitch immediately after being sent off, three matches for what was described as a repeated derogatory attitude toward the referee, and a further one-game suspension for disorderly conduct.
As the fallout continues, Sevilla have moved quickly to back their head coach and challenge the severity of the ruling. In an official club statement, they made their stance clear.
“The club, after learning of the seven-game ban for our head coach from the Disciplinary Committee following his red card last weekend against Alaves, wish to state the following: our total support to our head coach against a punishment we consider excessive,” the club wrote on their official website.
“We share the regret and the apologies expressed by the coach himself after the match regarding his own reaction.
“That the club’s legal department will exhaust all available avenues to appeal what it considers an excessive sanction, both in terms of the number of matches imposed and the way the facts have been described.
“We respect the sporting legal authorities and their decisions, but will make use of all available tools to defend our legitimate rights and those of our coach.”
Unless the appeal is successful, Almeyda will miss seven of Sevilla’s remaining 14 La Liga fixtures, a significant blow as the club battles to secure its top-flight status during the run-in.
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