Sevilla head coach Matías Almeyda spoke at length after his team’s 2–0 loss to Real Madrid, addressing the refereeing, his dismissal, and his assessment of Sevilla’s performance at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Refereeing and Red Card Incident
Almeyda explained that he was sent off after protesting a foul and strongly criticized the officiating during the match.
“I was sent off for protesting a foul. But I’d like them to listen to the audio recordings, because it’s easy to get people sent off.”
“I’m not a circus clown; I have my own story,
and I’m a man who engages in dialogue. Request the audio recordings.”
“I’ve never seen two penalties awarded in two minutes. There’s VAR. Today the refereeing was very poor.”
“I congratulate Real Madrid on their victory; they weren’t favored by it. I’m against the refereeing because of how badly he officiated, which is why I was sent off.”
“They told me they were tired of me talking about respect. If there’s any disrespect on my part, let them show it.”
Dialogue With Referees
Almeyda emphasized the importance of communication between players, coaches, and referees.
“We had talks, and I participate in the dialogue between players and referees because we’re all part of the same game.”
“Dialogue has to be possible. You can’t just hand out yellow cards for the sake of it; it hurts.”
“I talk things out and complain, I don’t insult. There has to be a middle ground.”
“I’m not happy with the refereeing, and I can’t stay silent. Between those who stay silent and those who speak out, I’ll take the one who speaks out. Those who stay silent are traitors. And I’m not one.”
Assessment of Sevilla’s Performance
Despite the loss, Almeyda praised his players and their approach to the match.
“I want to thank my group of players for their commitment.”
“We played well against an opponent with impressive players in their lineup. We blocked them and created our chances.”
Playing at the Bernabéu and Team Identity
Almeyda said Sevilla approached the match with confidence and belief.
“We came here to play as if we were playing at home.”
“We played a great game. We recognize our opponent, the quality they have, and we played as if we were at home.”
“That’s our idea, what we’ve tried to do throughout this semester. Sometimes it’s worked out well, sometimes less so, but there’s a clear idea and self-belief.”
