“The comb belongs to Muriqi, not Jaime. There is clearly a provocation”

Undoubtedly, the action that marked the day so far and produced the only analysis of VAR in First took place last night at Gran Canaria Stadium in Las Palmas. Review that took place 85 minutes into the match after the incident between the locals Kill and the player Mallorca, Muriqi.

That’s when the Galician referee Muñiz Ruiz is notified, after the incident between the two football players, who went to the monitor to check at the request of Valentín Pizarro: “Alejandro, I will recommend a check so that you can see an action of Muriqi where he stuck out his finger in an offensive gesture to a Las Palmas player, Jaime Mata“. To which Muñiz Ruiz asks him: “it takes the finger, the middle finger I understand, right?” To which Pizarro responds affirmatively: “If the middle finger, I want you to observe it and also see the previous reaction from Jaime Eyes”. The Galician international referee responded: “Okay, now show me and we can see everything.”

when is that? Muñiz He reached for the monitor and saw the moment of the incident: “Okay, the ball is in play and the goalkeeper has it.” It was after that from the VOR room they launched the moment with instructions from Pizarro Gómez: “The ball is in play and from now on you will see.” Then Muñiz Ruiz asked for the previous action: “First, what is being done Muriqi? “What is Muriqi doing to him?”

They throw him the moment just before what the field referee responded: “Okay, the comb is Muriqi’s, not Jaime’s. There is an obvious provocation. Zoom in.” Then the fourth referee is heard in the background giving explanations to the benches where he told them that it is not a penalty but a possible red card, while Muñiz observes the moment on zoom: “Okay, obviously we have a comb. Let’s see, “There is a provocation, we will have to go to the indirect free kick. Let’s see, let me see everything. The first thing is clear the provocation.” That’s when Pizarro intervened again from VAR: “You can see it there, first the provocation and then the finger.” Muñiz even asks to see before: “Before, please before. The play is different.” when was that? Muñiz Ruiz concludes: “I will punish yellow for the provocation that happened before. Then there is red for Muriqi Because of the gesture and because the ball is already in play, I am going to resume with an indirect free kick in the closest part where the defender is, which is the front line of the goal area, okay? Because the first one is clearly happening…Do you agree, don’t you Valentín?” To which the Madrid VAR referee responded: “Right, yes. I agree.” There Muñiz concluded: “In front. Let’s draw yellow and red”:

A correct decision according to the regulations

As we explained last night in MD; and although it may seem surprising, the decision is correct according to rule 12 of the rules of the game: “A player, substitute or substituted player who has committed any of the following offenses shall be sent off: using language or acting in a offensive, insulting or humiliating manner”. And this is exactly what was recorded in Muñiz Ruiz’s report: “Performing an offensive gesture by making a comb, showing the middle finger, and in reaction to a provocative gesture from the opposing player about Jaime Mata and his yellow card for provocation: “Provocation “Making high gestures to an opponent.” , who celebrated a defensive action in front of him, causing an immediate reaction that led to his ouster.”

And now we need to know the disciplinary consequences because the article of the Disciplinary Code related to the expulsion adds the second point that when “it is due to situations where the football player will not have the possibility to play the ball , the suspension is at least, two games.” Article 123, which talks about insults, threats and provocations, establishes a penalty of one to three fights. Same as 126 regarding offensive terms, expressions and gestures. If it is considered contempt, it is punishable by one to four encounters.