Barcelona derby, blaugrana appeal: against Jordi Alba’s red card

The performance of referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz during the Derbi barceloní on 31 December was much discussed

In Barcelona-Epsanyol 1-1, in total Lahoz distributed 16 yellow cards and two red cards, to Jordi Alba of Barcelona and Vinicius Souza of Espanyol, sent off within three minutes of each other. After the match, Barça manager Xavi Hernandez criticized the referee’s performance: “Lahoz handed out unnecessary cards and the game got out of control.”

After Lewandowski’s readmission to the derby…

Alba was surprised when shown his second yellow card in the 78th, given for protests. Speaking after the match, the Barça defender stated his perplexity about the decision: “I don’t understand the sending off. I just told him, and with great respect, that Joselu was to blame for his botched surgery on Christensen. Mateu booked me because he thought it was the first yellow card. There are times when he makes mistakes and I have to control myself more, but that was not the case. I’m very surprised by the expulsion.”

Barcelona were equally stunned by the red, and subsequently appealed the second yellow card shown to the full-back, as revealed by Marca. If successful, Alba will be available for Sunday’s decisive match against Atletico Madrid.