Atletico Madrid Gets Bad News Ahead Of Real Madrid

Angel Correa was banned from five matches after insulting the referee (Instagram/@athleticodemadrid).

JAKARTA - Atletico Madrid striker Angel Correa has been banned from playing for five games for insulting the referee after being sent off the field in a 1-2 defeat against Getafe on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

Correa got a red card in the 88th minute of La Liga's game for violating defender Djene Dakonam, before Atletico gave up a 1-0 lead. They conceded two goals in four minutes which was a crushing blow to their hopes of winning the league title.

The Argentine international reacted after being removed from the field with inappropriate harsh words to referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez. Even so, Correa has apologized through social media.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2025, the Disciplinary Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) imposed sanctions on Correa with a five-match ban.

In detail, the penalty was one game for being expelled from the field and four more games for insulting the referee.

Correa will now not be available to Atletico in a series of key matches in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

He will miss the top league match against Barcelona on Monday, March 17, 2025, early morning WIB. Then, he also cannot appear in the league match against Espanyol and other important matches against Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on April 4, 2025.

He will then not be available against Sevilla and Real Valladolid in La Liga, with Atletico in third place behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Cuadra Fernandez's report said that Correa had called him a "bastard kid" and a "cuter".

In an upload on X on Sunday, March 9, 2025, Correa apologized, saying "My respect to the referee was enormous" and admitting that he had "acted in the worst way at a difficult moment".

The RFEF Disciplinary Committee found that the pressure and tension of the situation could not justify or forgive the player's insults.

Fortunately, the ban will not apply in the Champions League, where Atletico will host Real Madrid at Metropolitano on Thursday, March 13, 2025, early in the morning WIB, in the second leg of the last 16.