By Frank Ulom
MADRID (CONVERSEER) – Getafe defender Abdelkabir Abqar has defended himself after receiving a controversial red card during his side’s La Liga clash with Atlético Madrid, insisting the incident was a misunderstanding and not intentional misconduct.
The dismissal occurred during Getafe’s match against Getafe CF’s city rivals, where tensions flared in an unusual off-the-ball altercation involving Atlético forward Alexander Sørloth.
During a pause in play, both players were seen grappling before Abqar suddenly fell to the ground. Following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, match referee Ortiz Arias ruled that the Getafe defender had pinched or grabbed Sørloth in the groin area while the ball was out of play. The decision resulted in a direct red card for Abqar, while Sørloth received a yellow card for his involvement.
The referee’s report described the offence as deliberate contact with an opponent’s genital area when the ball was not in play. The dismissal left Getafe with ten men for the remainder of the match.
Atlético capitalised on the numerical advantage, securing a 1–0 victory through a long-range strike by defender Nahuel Molina. The result strengthened Atlético’s position in the league standings after a fiercely contested encounter.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Abqar denied any malicious intent and maintained that the incident had been misinterpreted.
“I’m doing the interview because of the red card. It was not my intention to touch the player in that area,” he said. “In the game we clashed, but not once did I think about touching him there. I swear I didn’t think about touching him there.”
The defender explained that he was merely trying to hold his ground in a physical exchange.
“I wanted to bump into him like happens in football. The referee has seen it, but I didn’t want to touch him there. If you watch the video, I don’t even look at him. I wanted to touch his belly. It was not my intention to grab him in that area,” Abqar added.
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Atlético manager Diego Simeone admitted that the situation initially caused confusion on the touchline. According to the Argentine coach, the fourth official first suggested the foul might have been committed by the Atlético player.
“The fourth official told us it was the other way around. I haven’t seen the images yet, but the referee made that decision,” Simeone said.
The Atlético boss declined to dwell on the controversy, stating that VAR exists to assist referees in making such calls. Simeone later substituted Sørloth after the striker became a target for Getafe players following the incident, a move aimed at avoiding a potential second yellow card.
Getafe manager José Bordalás also questioned the decision, arguing that the physical exchange was typical of confrontations often seen in football.
“I’ve been reviewing the play; they were jostling. It’s always been seen in football,” Bordalás said. “To put it bluntly, I don’t think he grabbed him by the balls. I’ve never seen a player sent off for that. I thought they were reviewing Arambarri’s play. I’ll never understand the criteria.”
The incident has since sparked debate among supporters and analysts about the interpretation of off-the-ball conduct and the growing influence of VAR in disciplinary decisions.
