Appeals board makes final decision on Valverde ban: how it affects Real Madrid games

Fede Valverde will definitively miss Real Madrid’s upcoming LaLiga clash against Mallorca on April 4 at 10:15 a.m. ET. The team will continue its title push without the Uruguayan after the Appeals Committee rejected the club’s attempt to overturn the one-game suspension stemming from his red card against Atlético Madrid.

According to the ruling’s background, Real Madrid argued that there had been a “clear and obvious error” in the referee’s report regarding the incident. Valverde was sent off for “kicking an opponent without the ball being within playing distance, using excessive force.” The club disputed the interpretation of “playing distance,” a key factor in determining both the color of the card and the resulting sanction, and submitted video evidence to support its claim. Madrid’s appeal hinged entirely on redefining that moment of contact as part of a legitimate attempt to play the ball.

After reviewing both the footage and the club’s arguments, the Appeals Committee chose to uphold the original decision. In its official statement, it acknowledged that “the ball was not within playing distance at the precise moment of the contact,” but added that this did not alter the broader interpretation of the play.

“The existence of a clear and obvious error in the referee’s report cannot be established,” the committee stated. “While it is true that the ball was not within playing distance at the moment of the strike, this does not prevent the action, when considered in its entirety and development, from being understood as occurring in the course of play and as a direct consequence of it, thus confirming its correct classification under Article 130.1 of the RFEF Disciplinary Code.” The ruling effectively closes the door on any reinterpretation, framing the challenge as part of the natural flow of the game despite its severity.

This will mark the second LaLiga game Valverde misses this season, following his earlier absence against Sevilla in Matchday 17.

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