Abdel Abqar, defender for Getafe CF, was shown a red card during his team’s weekend clash with Atletico Madrid after a controversial off-the-ball incident involving striker Alexander Sorloth.
The match took place at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, where Atletico had taken a 1–0 lead thanks to an early goal from Nahuel Molina in the first half.
VAR review leads to red card
During the second half, referee Miguel Ortiz Arias temporarily halted play after receiving a signal from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team to review a possible off-the-ball incident.
Television replays showed Abqar and Sorloth making contact while walking past each other inside the pitch. The footage appeared to show the Moroccan defender using his thumb and index finger to pinch the Norwegian striker in the groin area.
Sorloth immediately reacted by pulling Abqar to the ground in apparent retaliation.
After carefully reviewing the footage on the VAR monitor, the referee decided to dismiss Abqar from the match with a straight red card for inappropriate conduct.
Sorloth, however, was only cautioned with a yellow card for his reaction.
Abqar denies intentional wrongdoing
Following the match, Abqar expressed shock over the referee’s decision and insisted that the contact was accidental rather than deliberate.
Speaking in a post-match interview with Movistar LaLiga, the defender maintained that he had no intention of touching the striker in that manner.
“I want to make it clear that it wasn’t my intention to touch the player in that area,” he said.
“In football, we often make contact with opponents, we collide and try to find space, but I didn’t mean to touch him there.”
Abqar added that the video footage did not show any deliberate action on his part.
“The video shows that I wasn’t even looking at him. My hand was meant to touch his stomach, like when you try to feel where an opponent is during play,” he explained.
The defender further stressed his innocence, stating that the referee may have misinterpreted the situation.
“I swear on my family that I didn’t intend to touch him there. I just wanted to make contact as happens in football,” he said.
Controversy follows decision
The incident has since sparked debate among football fans and analysts, with many discussing whether the referee’s decision was justified.
Some observers believe the VAR review correctly identified unsporting conduct, while others argue the contact may have been accidental during the physical nature of the game.
The red card could potentially lead to disciplinary action or suspension for Abqar depending on the competition’s review of the incident.
