In the current LaLiga season, Real Sociedad has become the first team to face a real threat of suspension due to the accumulation of yellow cards. Venezuelan midfielder Yangel Herrera, who will not play against Málaga, has already received four warnings in the first eight games of the championship, which places him on the threshold of the first phase of the sanction.
Since the start of the competition, Yangel has been cautioned in four different matches: against Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Celta de Vigo and Deportivo La Coruña, on matchdays 2, 5, 6 and 8 respectively. With four cards accumulated, the player is one step away from the first mandatory suspension, which would be applied in the next game in which he participates. Real Sociedad, however, will not be able to see their player in the next match with Málaga, so the sanction will not be reflected on that matchday.
Yangel's situation is not unique in the league. To date, only six players in all of LaLiga are at risk of suspension due to the accumulation of cards on matchday nine: Yoel Lago of Celta, Johan Mojica of Getafe, Zabiri of Racing, Riedel of Espanyol, Pathé Ciss of Rayo Vallecano and Yangel Herrera himself. This figure highlights the rarity of a player reaching such a level of sanction so early in the season, especially at a club of the stature of Real Sociedad.
The Venezuelan midfielder has demonstrated a high level of intensity on the field on several occasions, which has led referees to frequently resort to yellow cards. If you do not regulate your playing style, the risk of a longer suspension becomes increasingly greater, which could affect both individual and team performance in upcoming matches.
With Real Sociedad already in the fight to qualify for European competitions, Yangel's possible absence in future matches could represent a tactical challenge for the coach. The club will have to decide how to compensate for the lack of its key player as it prepares for the next games of the season.