Spanish LaLiga football club Real Betis has been ordered to play two home matches away from the Estadio Benito Villamarín after one of its fans threw a missile at an opposition player during the derby match against Sevilla at the weekend.
Real Betis’ Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla on Saturday was halted after midfielder Joan Jordan was hit on the head by a pole-shaped object thrown from the home stands. The incident led to the remainder of the match being played behind closed doors the following day.
Jordan was hospitalised by the incident, with Sevilla saying its player had suffered a “traumatic brain injury”. Jordan was not able to play in the restarted match, which Real Betis ended up winning 2-1.
Betis players have claimed that Jordan exaggerated the incident but Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui has denied this.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which organises the Copa del Rey, has now issued Real Betis with a two-match ban from playing at its home stadium. The RFEF said that measures taken by the club to prevent incidents involving fans have proven “insufficient”.
The RFEF said that a stadium ban has been issued because the Copa del Rey is a knockout competition, and therefore no points deduction can be handed out.
Real Betis has said it will appeal the decision, which it “deeply disagrees” with. The club said in a statement that the decision punishes more than 50,000 fans for the “reprehensible” action of one individual.
Real Betis is requesting the RFEF to carry out a detailed investigation to determine what happened during the match on Saturday.
Real Betis is due to host Villarreal on February 5 and RCD Mallorca on February 20. If the club is drawn at home in the next round of the Copa del Rey, it may not be able to play the match at the Estadio Benito Villamarín.
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