Sevilla coach hit with massive seven-game ban following red card in fiery La Liga clash with two players also handed suspensions

Almeyda was shown a red card during his team’s match against Real Sociedad after vehemently protesting the referee’s decisions. The incident escalated when he entered the pitch and continued his Protests for close to a full minute. Following his dismissal, the 52-year-old Argentine coach stormed onto the field at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, angrily confronting the match official for more than a minute, prompting further scrutiny of his conduct from both officials and observers alike.

The total ban for Almeyda is categorised into several specific infractions noted by the officials. The breakdown includes three matches for "contempt," which remains the most serious portion of the ruling and stems from words or gestures captured after the red card was shown. Furthermore, he received two matches for protests, the initial cause of the sending-off, along with one match for "conduct contrary to good sporting order," relating to his kicking of a water bottle and a confrontation with assistant officials. The final match was added for "failure to go to the dressing room," after he remained in the tunnel area and delayed his exit from the technical zone.

Sevilla have already attempted to defend their manager by submitting video evidence that they claim contradicts the referee’s official report. Consequently, the Andalusian club confirmed they will appeal the decision to the Appeals Committee and are prepared to take the matter to the highest legal sporting authorities if necessary to reduce the length of the suspension which currently covers half of the remaining 14 matchdays.

A statement from Sevilla read: "The club, after learning of the seven-game ban four our head coach from the Disciplinary Committee following his red card last weekend against Alavés, wish to state the following.

"Our total support to our head coach against a punishment we consider excessive.

"We share the regret and the apologies expressed by the coach himself after the match regarding his own reaction.

"That the club’s legal department will exhaust all available avenues to appeal what it considers an excessive sanction, both in terms of the number of matches imposed and the way the facts have been described.

"We respect the sporting legal authorities and their decisions, but will make use of all available tools to defend our legitimate rights and those of our coach."

This seven-game ban represents one of the harshest punishments handed to a coach in Spanish professional football in recent years. To find a similar case, one must look back to the 2014-15 season, when Almeyda’s compatriot and friend Diego Simeone was hit with an eight-match ban. During a Spanish Super Cup clash between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, Simeone was sent off for protesting "conspicuously with his arms raised; ignoring the instructions of the fourth official who on several occasions warned him to cease his attitude."

The situation for Simeone worsened significantly due to his physical reaction. Match referee Fernandez Borbalan noted in his report that "once sent off, he addressed the fourth official, hitting him with an open hand on the head twice. Subsequently and before retiring to the dressing rooms, he applauded on several occasions in a sign of disagreement with the decision taken." Effectively, the Atletico boss had clipped the fourth official twice on the back of the head, leading to a historic disciplinary measure that remained the benchmark until Almeyda's recent outburst.

With 14 matchdays remaining in the La Liga season, losing Almeyda for seven of those games presents a logistical nightmare for the Nervion club. The manager will be forced to watch from the stands as his team enters a defining stretch of the season. Sevilla’s legal team is working around the clock to ensure that the appeal is heard before their next fixture, argued on the basis that the referee's report does not accurately mirror the events caught on camera during the Alaves defeat.

Almeyda is not the only figure they will be without for the upcoming game against Getafe, as Joan Jordan and Juanlu have been given two and one-match bans, respectively, after being sent off in the clash against Alaves.