Sevilla defender, JuanIglesias, has expressed his indignation after the expulsion of IsaacRomero in the match against Levante, where the young striker was sanctioned for his celebration after scoring the second goal. Iglesias maintains that the action, which consisted of looking at the stands and touching his lips with the usual gesture of “telling the rival fans to shut up,” should be considered part of the game and not merit an expulsion.
The incident occurred in the second half of the match played at the Ciutat de Valencia, where Sevilla lost two points and Romero's expulsion left the team with one less player for the rest of the day. Iglesias, who has become a leading voice within the locker room after a few months at the club, described the sanction as “unfair” and pointed out that, according to his interpretation, the regulations do not clearly contemplate such a severe penalty for that type of celebration. "It's something normal, we see it in football, whoever doesn't tell people to shut up puts on their shirt, touches their ears... I think it's part of football," he commented.
The full-back also highlighted the importance of protecting the players and criticized the referee's decision, which according to him, should have considered a less drastic alternative. “We have seen that they can tie, and the expulsion of a player in the final phase of the match can change the result,” he added. Iglesias stressed that the loss of Romero and two points directly affects the team, and asked for a review of the regulations to avoid similar situations in the future.
In addition to the controversy, Iglesias took advantage of the interview to praise the passion of the Sevilla fans. He commented how the energy of the public, both at the Sánchez-Pizjuán and on the move, constitutes extra motivation for the team. “The day in Coruña was incredible, it doesn't give you the option to relax,” he said, referring to the visit to the city where the public was so intense that even on the bus people commented on how demanding the atmosphere was.
With Sevilla in the fight to qualify for the Champions League, Romero's expulsion and the loss of two points in the match against Levante put the squad under pressure. The club must decide whether to review the referee's decision and how it will handle the absence of one of its forwards in the coming days. Meanwhile, JuanIglesias will continue to be a key figure on the team, both for his leadership in the locker room and for his defense of the players and the tradition of football.