Sevilla FC Draws Against Deportivo Alavés Amid Controversial Refereeing

omidbasir- Sevilla FC salvaged a point in their match against Deportivo Alavés at the Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium, a game heavily influenced by questionable officiating. The encounter featured one of the season’s most notable moments: a confrontation between coach Matías Almeyda and referee Iosu Gelach Apezteguía following Almeyda’s dismissal. “There will be a falsehood in the report. I did not speak,” stated the Argentine, who now faces the possibility of a severe sanction.

On Wednesday, Nemanja Gudelj addressed the media regarding the refereeing decisions affecting Sevilla this season, calling for greater respect for the club. “I believe there have been several instances where we have not been treated with due respect. I would ask for more consideration for Sevilla FC because we seem to be judged differently than other teams,” he expressed. After the match, Gudelj was among several players who commented on the officiating.

“We deserve more respect; there are numerous questionable decisions that never seem to benefit us. The penalty today was clear-cut, and this has happened far too often,” the Serbian insisted. The players argued for a penalty after Lucien Agoumé was fouled, which could have resulted in a 2-0 lead before halftime. Alavés’ Youssef, who caused Juanlu’s red card, struck Agoumé from behind during a clearance, but the referee failed to recognize the incident, and the VAR did not intervene either.

Agoumé himself spoke about the controversial play, stating, “It was clearly a penalty; everyone saw it except for the referee. At the very least, he should have reviewed it, but he did not. This always happens to us; when we are fouled, they do not look into it, but when we commit a foul, they scrutinize the situation quickly, making decisions that change the outcome of the match. This has happened too many times this year, and I hope things will change in the remaining 15 matches.”

“The officiating must be consistent for both sides,” remarked Nianzou, who made his debut in Almeyda’s starting lineup against Alavés. Djibril Sow, who scored for Sevilla, also shared his thoughts. “We all watched the match, and I believe the decisions were somewhat unjust. I prefer not to comment further on the officiating because discussing refereeing is not permitted in Spain,” he stated. He also referenced Almeyda’s expulsion, highlighting the Argentine’s character. “I did not see the incident, but he is typically a very calm individual. I am unsure what transpired for him to be sent off in that manner,” Sow concluded.