Referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias has turned on the whistle again after the Madrid derby, being designated for the next match between Sevilla and Osasuna on matchday ten of the First Division. This will be his first assignment since September 20, when he took charge of the derby between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid at the Metropolitan Stadium. The decision was made by the Referee Appointment Committee, which has also assigned VAR assistant Rubén Ávalos to support the referee in the match that will be held at the Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.
The absence of Ortiz Arias during the previous days was due to two incidents that generated controversy and that, according to the CTA, required an exhaustive analysis. On matchday eight and nine, after the capital derby, the referee did not initially send off Huijsen after a penalty against Giuliano, a decision that he later corrected after reviewing the VAR. Likewise, the lack of a red card sanction against Kang In Lee for an action against Valverde was questioned, as the VAR could not intervene quickly enough. These events, combined with the need for a break, led to the referee not being appointed for those two days.
Ortiz Arias will have the opportunity to referee both teams for the second time this season, making him the third consecutive referee to have overseen all three matches between Sevilla and Osasuna. Last season, the referee had already witnessed the two duels of the previous campaign: the first leg at the Sevilla stadium, where Sevilla won 1-0, and the second leg, in which Osasuna won 2-1. In total, the referee has witnessed eleven matches with Sevilla, with a balance of six wins, one draw and four losses, and fourteen matches with Osasuna, with five wins, three draws and eight losses. His last performance with Sevilla was on matchday 32 of last season, when they lost 2‑1 against Osasuna at the Sadar Stadium, and with Osasuna, on the penultimate matchday of the previous season, when they lost 1‑2 at home against Espanyol.
With the assignment of Ortiz Arias, the match between Sevilla and Osasuna promises to have an experienced referee familiar with both clubs. The Referee Appointment Committee's decision reflects confidence in its ability to manage a high-level meeting and avoid the problems that arose in previous meetings. Fans and parties involved hope that the referee's presence will contribute to fair play and a dispute-free competition. The result of the match, which will be played tonight at the Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, will determine the progress of both teams in the table and will mark the next step in the fight for league position.