Atletico Madrid have reignited the derby controversy after Federico Valverde was handed a one-match suspension, using the decision to fire another pointed message at Real Madrid and the wider refereeing debate.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the RFEF’s Disciplinary Committee gave Valverde a one-match ban for the straight red card he received in the 3-2 derby win at the Santiago Bernabeu after his challenge on Alex Baena. The report says Real Madrid tried to have the red card overturned, but that appeal was rejected.
Atletico did not let the moment pass quietly. The club posted a sarcastic message on social media that read:
“Congratulations, you are the best at this. Mission accomplished: 1 match for Valverde.”
They then doubled down by adding that football fans could go on holiday calmly knowing that shirt colour and media noise do not influence sporting justice, before pointing to what they saw as a different standard compared with Oihan Sancet, who they say received a two-match ban in a similar case.
The committee’s own reasoning went the other way. The report says the ban was applied under article 130.1 of the disciplinary code, which covers violent conduct occurring in the course of play or as a direct consequence of it and allows for a one-to-three match suspension.
From a Real Madrid point of view, the punishment itself is manageable. One game is hardly catastrophic for a player of Valverde’s importance, especially when the club had pushed for a full dismissal of the red but at least avoided a heavier sanction.
The bigger issue is the noise around it. Atletico clearly see the verdict as proof of inconsistency. As for Real Madrid, they cannot afford to get distracted by all this. All they can do is control the football they on the pitch.
Anything else is just smoke and it’s best it’s treated that way.
