The Competition Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (FEF) sanctioned Sergio Canales with a four-game suspension this Wednesday for allegedly accusing the Valencian referee Mateu Lahoz of expelling him at the Nuevo Mirandilla in Cádiz in a “premeditated” manner. Betis will appeal to the Appeals Committee the harsh punishment imposed by the Competition on the Cantabrian player, who met Mateu Lahoz at the Benito Villamarín against Valladolid and did not want to maintain any kind of contact with the referee.
«I am the captain and I already said that I was not going to talk to him because it does not correspond. I have tried to avoid any conversation. That expulsion (suffered against Cádiz in the 97th minute) was premeditated and that is not part of the game, “Canales allegedly complained after the Betis-Valladolid league match on February 18.
Competition has sanctioned Canales with four games “for exceeding the limits of healthy and legitimate criticism that protects the right to freedom of expression.” “The attribution of premeditation to the referee clearly questions his impartiality and honesty, by imputing a sort of fraudulent attitude when adopting his decision,” highlights the first federative court.
According to Betis, during the controversial interview with Canales after Betis’s victory against Valladolid in which he referred to the red that Mateu Lahoz showed him in the final stretch of the duel against Cádiz (on October 19), The Cantabrian midfielder did not utter the word “premeditated”, but “premeditated” or “precipitated”. Betis will provide images of said interview before the Appeal to try to demonstrate that Canales does not exactly say the word that is attributed to him.
The Verdiblanco club, which considers itself persecuted by arbitration and committees, is outraged by the high penalty for Canales and suspicions have already arisen in Seville, since the instructor in the case is from San Sebastián, when Real Sociedad is a direct rival of Betis in the fight for qualification for the Champions League. Betis considers it unfair that Canales has been punished with such disproportion. In the case of having to meet all four games, Betis will not be able to count on Canales in the next league duels against Atlético, Cádiz, Espanyol and Osasuna.
Valencia captain José Luis Gayà was also banned for four games last season for accusing Melero López of failing to award a penalty during the game against Osasuna. “He has seen it and has not wanted to whistle it,” the international left-back then proclaimed, which caused the Competition to enter ex officio and impose such a harsh punishment on him. Said sanction was ratified by Appeal and by the Administrative Court of Sport (TAD).