Soccer

VAR official suspended over Vinicius Junior red card for the rest of the season

A VAR official will not be allowed to participate for the remainder of the LaLiga season due to gross errors during Real Madrid – Valencia.

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea speaks with Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid during the LaLiga Santander match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Mestalla on May 21, 2023 in Valencia, Spain.
Β© (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea speaks with Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid during the LaLiga Santander match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Mestalla on May 21, 2023 in Valencia, Spain.

It continues to be a weekend to forget for LaLiga, after the racial abuse hurled at Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior during Valencia’s 1-0 win over Real Madrid. To make matters worse during the incident which brought the Brazilian winger to tears, he was red carded at the end of the match.

The incident for which Vinicius Junior was thrown out of the match was for having an altercation with Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and substitute Hugo Duro. VAR referee Iglesias Villanueva showed on field official Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea an image of Vinicius Junior hitting Duro in the face but did not show Duro putting the winger in a headlock prior.

Vinicius Jr racial abuse cases: Seven fans arrested

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After the major blunder LaLiga announced that Iglesias Villanueva will not take part in the match between Real Betis and Getafe on Wednesday and is suspended until the end of the season.

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Referee suspended after poor use of VAR

Iglesias Villanueva will be replaced by Cesar Soto Grado the Spanish RFEF confirmed for the Betis match. Villanueva also will not take any action in the match Osasuna and Athletic Club, being replaced by Angel Nevado Rodriguez.

Spanish club that shone in LaLiga and Champions League drops to third division

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In total Villanueva will not referee anymore matches this season and the Spanish refereeing committee is planning to restructure all VAR officials come next season.

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