THE FORMER REFEREE, INDISBELIEVING ABOUT THE 'VINI CASE'
Estrada Fernández, about sanction against Vinicius: Soto Grado report is negligent and manipulative
Published:9/01/2025 - 02:51h
Updated:9/01/2025 - 02:56h
Xavier Estrada Fernández raised his voice against César Soto Grado and LaLiga regarding the two-match sanction for Vinicius Jr. For the former referee, the match report was intentionally manipulated
Xavier Estrada Fernández spoke on the program 'El Desmarque de Madrugada' about the controversial two-match sanction that the Competition Committee imposed on Vinicius Jr. after his expulsion at Mestalla. For the former Catalan referee, there is no doubt about César Soto Grado's intention to manipulate the official match report to spare the Real Madrid player from a greater sanction, which would have prevented him from playing in the Supercopa de España.
"César Soto and Alejandro Muñiz (VAR), in the review that was made on the field, both state that the ball is stopped, which changes it from being a violent conduct to being considered an aggression". Therefore, the former referee believes that the report "is negligent and manipulates reality", since this type of infraction, so evident also in front of the cameras, should be punished with a minimum of four matches and a maximum of twelve.
The former referee Estrada Fernández explains "how Soto has adulterated reality by manipulating his report regarding what he presented in the VAR that we all could see", benefiting VINNI who should have received a minimum of 4 matches of sanction and not play the Supercopa, but only... https://t.co/lr4rHqvjc3
— Míster Seitán (@CuentaMister) January 8, 2025
The error of Soto Grado in the report, induced by LaLiga?
"At the end of the match, the referee receives via WhatsApp the video clip with the play in question so that, calmly from the locker room, he can draft the report. Drafting in which he fails and that only happens if he was told what he had to write in the report... I leave it there", concluded Estrada Fernández, who officiated matches in the First Division for twelve seasons, from 2009 to 2021.
The statement of the Catalan referee makes sense when comparing Soto Grado's conversation with the VAR with the text of the report. The main referee warns that Vinicius "strikes with his arms" the face of Stole Dimitrievski while the ball is stopped while reviewing the action on the monitor. However, the report states that the ball "was out of play" and it was "a blow to the head, deliberately and using not insignificant force". By not mentioning aggression, the Competition Committee maintained its sanction at two matches, the regular punishment for expulsions due to direct red cards.
