RFEF Discipline Committee Upholds Felix Correia Yellow Card After Sevilla Appeal

The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation has officially decided to reject the appeals presented by Sevilla FC regarding a controversial refereeing incident during last weekend's La Liga match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. The legal services of the club from Nervión had formally requested that a yellow card shown to Portuguese winger Félix Correia be rescinded, arguing that the referee, Mateo Busquets Ferrer, suffered a manifest error in player identification during a heated first-half exchange.

During the encounter on October 18, which ended in a 4-1 victory for Real Madrid, referee Busquets Ferrer cautioned Félix Correia in the 23rd minute for allegedly arguing with an opponent. Sevilla's legal team submitted video evidence and arguments asserting that teammate Lucien Agoumé was actually the player involved in the confrontation with Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen, noting that even Real Madrid players attempted to alert the match official of the mix-up on the pitch.

Despite the video footage and the club's formal complaints, the Disciplinary Committee upheld the referee's initial report. In its official statement released on Wednesday, the committee concluded that the provided imagery did not unequivocally prove a case of mistaken identity or invalidate the behavior recorded in the referee's official match report. Consequently, the yellow card remains on Félix Correia's disciplinary record alongside its associated penalties.

The decision has further fueled outrage within Sevilla FC, who have felt aggrieved by a series of contentious refereeing decisions throughout the season. Sevilla president José María del Nido Carrasco traveled to the federation's headquarters in Las Rozas to review VAR audio and speak with Fran Soto, head of the Technical Committee of Referees. The explanations provided failed to appease club leadership, intensifying an atmosphere of discontent that has resonated across national and international sports media.

The controversial fixture itself highlighted an uneven stretch for Real Madrid under head coach José Mourinho, who deployed a potent attack featuring standout performances from summer arrival Yan Diomandé. The 19-year-old forward scored a brilliant goal and provided an assist in the 4-1 triumph over Sevilla, boosting expectations ahead of subsequent fixtures.

Sevilla currently sits fifth in La Liga standings with 14 points following the defeat, while Real Madrid holds the fourth position with 18 points. As the fallout from the refereeing decisions continues to draw heavy debate, Sevilla must navigate upcoming fixtures without several injured players, including Isaac Romero, Marcao, Jon Guridi, and Miguel Sierra.