The key facts
- Sevilla filed an official complaint with LaLiga over the 'unequal and inadequate' TV coverage of episodes in the match against Real Madrid (1:4) on October 18 at the Santiago Bernabéu
- The club claims three controversial episodes were excluded from the official highlights package, although they were later shown by Movistar Plus+ and DAZN
- It demands publication of broadcast protocols, raw footage of four episodes, and an investigation; coach Luis García Plaza spoke about the Güler and Peke episode at 0:0
Complaint over TV coverage
On Tuesday, October 21, Sevilla announced it had filed an official complaint with LaLiga over what the club called 'unequal' and 'inadequate' television coverage of key episodes in the October 18 match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, which ended in a 1:4 defeat. The club expressed 'deep dissatisfaction' with the audiovisual production of the game. The complaint was signed by club president José María del Nido Carrasco.
Controversial episodes
The club questioned how four episodes were shown live and in replays. Sevilla cited an alleged foul by Cucurella on Peke which, in the club's view, could have resulted in a penalty — there were, according to the club, no adequate replays. The episode involving an alleged elbow by Arda Güler on Gerard 'Peke' Fernández at 0:0, according to the club, was shown only from distant angles without close-ups. Güler was not sent off and later opened the scoring in the 30th minute. The club also pointed to a lack of TV analysis of an alleged foul by Konaté on Robbi Yura before Real Madrid's second goal. In contrast, Real Madrid's penalty after a foul on Kylian Mbappé was, according to Sevilla, accompanied by numerous replays from different angles.
The club's demands
Sevilla rejected the criteria it attributed to LaLiga production officials, including reliance on players' protests, the referee's initial decision, and the subjective judgment of broadcasters, and also questioned considerations related to the live broadcast and the VAR system. The club demanded publication of match broadcast protocols and clarification of the limits of editorial discretion. According to the club, three controversial episodes were deliberately excluded from the official highlights package, although they were later shown by Movistar Plus+ and DAZN. Sevilla requested documentation on the production plan, camera positions, 'blind spots,' and those responsible for broadcast decisions, demanded immediate publication of the full raw footage of the four episodes, preservation of technical recordings and independent footage in case of possible legal action, access to LaLiga's audiovisual guidelines, as well as an investigation and corrective measures to ensure equal treatment of all clubs.
Coach's reaction and meeting with the refereeing committee
Sevilla head coach Luis García Plaza criticized the episode involving Güler and Peke, saying his team had been 'denied the chance to play another match, 11 against 10.' The club also expressed disagreement with the criteria presented by the Technical Committee of Referees at a meeting on Tuesday regarding the controversial episodes: according to the club, the exchange of views was respectful, but the parties retained clearly divergent views on the decisions. Sevilla also pointed to comments by LaLiga's head of production and editorial policy, Sergio Carranza Lescano, on air on the radio program El Partidazo de COPE.
