Atletico Madrid striker Angel Correa has been handed a five-match ban after insulting the referee during his team’s La Liga loss to Getafe on Sunday.
Correa was sent off for a high tackle in the 88th minute and subsequently directed abusive comments at referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez, contributing to Atletico’s 2-1 defeat in the derby.
The Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee decided that Correa would miss one match for his red card and an additional four for his verbal abuse.
Atletico Madrid’s attempt to mitigate his behaviour, including claiming Correa was under significant stress, was dismissed by the committee, which stated that such expressions could not be justified.
Correa issued an apology on social media after the match, saying he “totally respects referees” and that his reaction was out of character, expressing regret for leaving his team with 10 players at a crucial moment.
As a result of the suspension, Correa will miss Atletico’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Barcelona and league matches against Espanyol, Sevilla, and Valladolid.
