On Friday, Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini, the manager of Real Betis, came out to defend Argentine coach Matias Almeyda, the manager of Sevilla, after he was suspended for seven matches by the Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary committee following his expulsion in his team's match against Alaves in the Spanish league.

Pellegrini, the former coach of Real Madrid and Villarreal, described the penalty as "unfair" and "regrettable" from the perspective of his fellow coach.

The suspension was issued following a heated dispute between Almeida and referee Iosu Galech Apezteguia during the 1-1 draw between Sevilla and Alavés. Almeida was later sent off and fined for seven matches due to several violations, including repeated protests, disrespecting the referee, and behavior contrary to sports regulations, according to the referee's report.

In facing this crisis, Pellegrini expressed his discontent during the press conference before his team's match against Rayo Vallecano, saying: "It's unfortunate to be suspended for such a long period," emphasizing that no coach should be absent from the bench for this duration due to such incidents.

For his part, Almeida expressed his general opinion, considering the penalty "unfair" while acknowledging his mistake and offering an apology. He confirmed that he would avoid any direct confrontations with referees in the future. Meanwhile, Sevilla FC announced its full support for their coach and did not rule out appealing the penalty.