Real Madrid Discovers Dean Huijsen's Suspension Fate, Prepares Fight Back
The disciplinary panel of Spain's Football Federation (RFEF) imposed a single-game suspension on Dean Huijsen following his dismissal against Real Sociedad, though Real Madrid plans to challenge this ruling with the federation's appeals board.
The central defender received his maiden red card in La Liga on Saturday after fouling Mikel Oyarzabal, with the Real Sociedad player claiming he had a clear path to goal when the incident occurred. Official Jesús Gil Manzano quickly produced the red card despite Huijsen's argument that Éder Militão was positioned to provide defensive support.
Real Madrid contested the dismissal, arguing the infringement didn't constitute denying a clear scoring chance and that Huijsen wasn't the final defender. However, the RFEF maintained the referee's original call and confirmed the one-game suspension for the ex-Bournemouth player.
The Madrid club will now approach the appeals panel hoping to overturn the red card decision, allowing Huijsen to feature in the upcoming fixture against Espanyol. Real Madrid can reference the latest guidance from the RFEF's Technical Referee Committee (CTA) to strengthen their argument.
During the second episode of "Review Time," a program examining potential officiating mistakes across La Liga, La Liga 2 and Liga F, representative Marta Frías acknowledged that Huijsen's violation didn't merit a red card.
"This sequence demonstrates the distinction between a promising offensive move and a genuine scoring opportunity," Frías explained. "The crucial element is understanding how the positioning and proximity of a covering defender can alter the sanction from a caution to an immediate dismissal.
"The official issued a red card, interpreting the situation as a clear scoring chance. The incident presents two potential interpretations, hinging on a second Real Madrid defender's involvement in the play. If we consider that he could reach the ball and make a challenge, the appropriate sanction would be a yellow card for disrupting a promising attack.
"However, if the referee's assessment was correct that the distance prevented any meaningful challenge for the ball, then it constitutes a clear scoring opportunity warranting a sending-off.
"Both interpretations remain valid, which is why this committee believes the incident doesn't fully satisfy the requirements for 'DOGSO' [denial of obvious goal-scoring opportunity], making a yellow card the more suitable punishment," Frías concluded.
If Real Madrid's secondary appeal fails, they'll face Espanyol on Saturday without Huijsen's services. Additionally, manager Xabi Alonso will be missing the injured Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy and Trent Alexander-Arnold from his defensive options.