2025-12-20
The Argentine Matías Almeyda, coach of Sevilla, who was sent off at half-time when he already had a yellow card from the first half, was very critical and forceful against the referee’s decision in the press conference after his team’s defeat against the Real Madrid (2-0) to the point of saying that “no” is “no clown from any circus” and that “at some point they are going to have to suspend a referee” because “they coach badly.”
“With respect to the referee, it is very simple. They have microphones. Every game we play, we coaches complain. The complaint, when it is with respect, is valid for me. This man told me that he was tired of me telling him about respect. He expelled me because I claimed a foul in the first half. I would like you to listen to the audios. I am not a clown from any circus, I have my history in football and I have history as a man,” he began.
“Men dialogue and the lack of humility like the one this man had today surpasses what may or may not be a cordial dialogue… We are making sport something that is authoritarianism. It hurts me a lot to have to say it because I already said that I am not going to talk about this… but, if not, it remains that they expelled me because I insulted or said something. At some point they are going to have to suspend a referee because they coach badly,” he continued.
“At no time have I seen two penalties awarded in two minutes. Was there a rush? I’m not saying that Real Madrid benefited from that, let it be clear. Real Madrid won. I am against the refereeing of this match. We are in a world that lacks respect. If within those microphones that the referees have and everyone can hear, if there is a lack of respect on my part or a lack of education, let them expose it. I have values. And I don’t treat myself to anyone. The referee has to have children and they can tell him what he does wrong,” he completed in his first response.
A Matías Almeyda who continued his criticism of the referees, led this Saturday by Alejandro Muñiz (Galician Committee), while pointing out that he is not going to change his way of being because “he who remains silent is a traitor” and he does not consider himself a “traitor.”
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“The referees gave us talks at the beginning of the League. And I am involved in there being dialogue between everyone. With respect. We are all part of the same game; we live thanks to football. You have to be able to dialogue. You cannot admonish for the sake of admonishing; it is not free. And it hurts us. If there is an insult from my bench I say that it be judged, but I do not insult; dialogue and complaint,” he said.
How can I not claim a foul if my blood boils? There has to be a middle point and not expel for the sake of expelling. Today is ridiculous. I’m even ashamed to have to say it. But nothing is going to change because I am coach of Sevilla. I learned one thing in life: between those who remain silent and those who speak with respect; I’m going to stay with the one who speaks. He who remains silent is a traitor and I am not a traitor,” he added.
“There are witnesses. I learned something, you always have to have witnesses in life. Tomorrow I turn 52. I have walked a lot. I am not going to make any defense, this remains on conscience. I sleep peacefully and that is enough for me in life,” he concluded in his criticism of the arbitration.
And regarding the match, in which Sevilla lost against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, he wanted to praise his team’s performance.
“I want to thank the group of players for their dedication, their determination, their interpretation of the game. And because they showed that, beyond the defeat, the path is to get out of where we want to get out of,” he declared.
“We have to constantly improve. We know what we are risking. Through this path of today and past games we are going to achieve points and victories. There is one part left in which we will play everything we have,” he said.
A match in which Thibaut Courtois made six saves to prevent goals from Sevilla.
“It’s football. The actions have to be carried out. We did well against a rival that has impressive players. We blocked those impressive players and we had our actions in a match that we had prepared and studied. As long as there are attacking actions it means that at some point they will be carried out,” he commented.
