Sevilla FC was hit by another controversial refereeing decision during their visit to the RCDE Stadium, where Arouna Sangante's red card changed the course of the match. The incident occurred in the 55th minute of the LaLiga game, as reported by Marca - Primera, and sparked immediate outrage from the Sevilla bench.
Referee Sesma Espinosa judged Sangante's tackle on Lucien Agoumé to be a last-man foul and showed the defender a straight red card. The move started with a sombrero from Edu Expósito past the Sevilla midfielder. Replays indicated Sangante made contact with the ball first, but VAR official Trujillo Suárez chose not to advise an on-field review. Manager Luis García Plaza's angry reaction earned him a yellow card for his protests.
What did Luis García Plaza say about the decision?
The Sevilla coach expressed his frustration post-match, linking this incident to other recent ones. García Plaza referenced a non-call for a potential penalty for a Hjulmand handball on Kike Salas against Atlético de Madrid. "It's a penalty," the manager stated about Saturday's action. Luis García Plaza said: "The other day they made a big deal about the sending-off, which perhaps wasn't one, so I hope they also show this action in the LaLiga video. It was a very clear penalty. The other day it's a very quick play, a red is given, and the fuss that was made about that... It seems we have been the most benefited team in the history of football. I hope they now say it's a penalty."
How does this sending-off affect the start of the season?
This marks the second time in the early league stage that Sevilla has had to play with ten men. In the opening matchday, Kike Salas received a red card against Rayo Vallecano. The team is experiencing an inconsistent start to the campaign, sitting sixth in the LaLiga standings with 7 points from 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in 4 games. Their recent form reads DLWW. In attack and defence, Sevilla has scored 7 goals and conceded 6, for a +1 goal difference. However, the refereeing controversy comes at a sensitive time, with the team trailing leaders Barcelona by 5 points.
What is Sevilla's next fixture?
Luis García Plaza's side must react quickly, as their next match is at home. Sevilla hosts Valencia on September 11, 2026, at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. Valencia arrives for the fixture in a difficult position, occupying 20th place in the table. For that match, Sevilla will be without the confirmed absence of Rubén Vargas, according to the injuries list. The upcoming fixtures schedule now presents an important test to maintain their position in the upper part of the standings.
Sangante's sending-off leaves the team with a defensive headache ahead of the clash with Valencia, a match Sevilla needs to win to avoid losing more ground in the race for European places.
