Atletico Madrid striker Ángel Correa has been handed a five-match ban after insulting referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez during his team’s La Liga loss to Getafe. The incident occurred after Correa was shown a red card for a high tackle in the 88th minute of the derby, with Atletico trailing 2-1.
The ban consists of one match for the red card and an additional four for his verbal abuse directed at the referee following the dismissal. The Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee rejected Atletico Madrid’s attempt to mitigate Correa’s actions, including claims that the player was “extremely nervous” and under high pressure. The committee stated that such circumstances could not justify the “severe expressions” directed at the referee.
Correa later apologized for his behavior in a social media post on platform X, stating, “I have total respect for the referees and this reaction is not typical of me. I was very angry for leaving the team with ten men at such a delicate moment and I reacted in the worst way. I hope he accepts my most sincere apologies.”
At the time of his dismissal, Atletico were leading, but they ultimately lost 2-1, dropping to third place in La Liga, just one point behind both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Correa’s suspension means he will miss several key matches, including the second leg of Atletico’s Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona, as well as league games against Espanyol, Sevilla, and Valladolid.
