Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda hit with seven-game ban after clash with referee

The Argentine tactician's punishment, one of the harshest for a manager in recent Spanish football history, will sideline him for nearly two months, covering half of Sevilla's remaining 14 fixtures.

The suspension stems from a series of incidents during and after the match at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. Almeyda was initially shown a red card for protesting a decision by referee Iosu Galech Apezteguia, but the situation escalated when the 52-year-old stormed onto the pitch, confronting the official for more than a minute and repeatedly asking, "Why are you sending me off?" He also delayed leaving the technical area and kicked a water bottle in frustration.

Almeyda later apologized for his actions but expressed that he still wanted clarification on the sending-off. Sevilla, meanwhile, have called the punishment "excessive" and plan to appeal, submitting video evidence they claim contradicts the referee's report.

A club statement read: "Our total support to our head coach against a punishment we consider excessive. We share the regret and apologies expressed by the coach himself and will exhaust all available avenues to appeal this sanction."

Almeyda is expected to miss LaLiga matches against Getafe, Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano, Barcelona, Valencia, Real Oviedo, and Atletico Madrid, returning in theory against Levante on April 22. In his absence, assistant Omar Zarif will take charge of the team.

The ban comes amid a tense period for Sevilla, who sit 13th in the league, just two points above the relegation zone. Adding to the disruption, midfielder Joan Jordan and Juanlu Sanchez, both sent off in the same game, have also received suspensions of two and one match, respectively, forcing the club to adjust its squad for upcoming fixtures.

This disciplinary measure is the most severe for a manager since Diego Simeone received an eight-match ban in 2014 during the Spanish Supercup for repeated protests and confrontational behavior toward officials. Like Simeone, Almeyda now faces the challenge of guiding his team from the stands during a critical phase of the season, as Sevilla fight to maintain their top-flight status. 

READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk tips Dominik Szoboszlai for future Liverpool captaincy