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Mexican referee gets five-match ban for showing two yellow cards at once

Dirty Tackle

Tigres won their first title in 29 years by beating Santos 4-1 over the two legs of the Mexico Primera Division apertura final in December. In the 56th minute of the second leg, referee Marco Antonio "Chiquidracula" Rodriguez decided to increase his card-showing efficiency in a match that included seven yellows and three straight reds by showing two yellows at the same time.

This, of course, is not conventional procedure for referees, who are supposed to book players one at a time. So this week it was announced that Rodriguez's flair for the dramatic and use of the extra yellow card he brought earned him a five-match ban. Said FMF secretary general Decio de Maria (via Univision):

"The situation of having drawn two yellow cards at the same time is outside the role, not something that is considered in the arbitration rules and is considered as if he had not responded to what happened and did not sanction it."

OK, so two yellow cards at the same time is frowned upon. Next time, Rodriguez should just pull out one giant yellow card for the both of them.

It was a silly move and one that Rodriguez should've known would draw unwanted attention, but a five-match ban seems a bit harsh for an act as trivial as this. Even Santos' Carlos Morales, one of the players booked in that moment, couldn't hide his enjoyment of the referee's showmanship. Then again, a match as big as this one probably wasn't the place to get cute with it.

Story via 101gg

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