Dean Huijsen was sent off in the last Liga match against Real Sociedad. The refereeing error has been recognized, but Huijsen is still sanctioned. Make it make sense.
Dean Huijsen already knew the state of play in Spanish football. As a Netherlands-born Spain international, Huijsen came through the youth ranks at Málaga. So, ever since leaving, he would have a keen eye on La Liga.
Since joining Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, and making his La Liga debut, Huijsen will have seen that nothing has changed in Spain over the years. The quality of football on display is the best in the world, but the state of refereeing is still living in the first century.
Dean Huijsen was shown a red card against Real Sociedad. Everybody knows it was a poor decision, and one that casts a frankly awful spotlight on La Liga for allowing it to happen.
Real Madrid fans do not blame Huijsen for making a tactical foul, which should been a yellow at maximum, but instead they blame La Liga. That's just how it is.
Dean Huijsen is publicly laughing at poor sanction decision
Well, the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) has confirmed that Dean Huijsen's suspension will remain, and he will miss this weekend's fixture against Espanyol. This is despite the CTA (Technical Committee of Referees) recognizing that the referee had made a mistake, that the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) did not intervene with.
Dean Huijsen was fuming about this hypocrisy, and posted to this Instagram story, saying that this is a bad look for Spanish football.
In his own words (translated to English), Huijsen said: “1. Gil Manzano unjustly expelled Huijsen. 2. VAR does not enter and allows it. 3. Real Madrid plays with one less for 2/3 of the match. 4. The CTA recognizes the error. 5. The CTA sanctions, once the error is recognized, with another party to Huijsen. The mistake is admitted, but I am still suspended, a good image for Spanish football.”
While Huijsen has a point, and he's certainly right to call out the hypocrisy in Spanish football right now, the CTA does not handle appeals. The RFEF, who confirmed Huijsen's sanction, does.
Are you as confused as we are? It doesn't make any sense. If anything, Real Madrid's appeal process is raising more of a spotlight on Spanish football, and how inflexible the rules are, even after a clear mistake has been made.
Anyway, that's the life of a fan we guess - time to have more joy sucked out of the game this weekend, too.