A fiery La Liga derby between Sevilla and Real Betis was thrown into chaos and suspended on Sunday evening after players were targeted by missiles thrown from the stands.
Chaotic scenes halt Seville derby
The dramatic incident occurred at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan as Real Betis held a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Pablo Fornals and Sergi Altimira. The match reached a critical point in the closing stages when Sevilla were awarded a penalty. As they prepared to take the spot-kick, objects were hurled from the section behind the goal towards Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles.
In an attempt to clear the playing area and allow the game to continue, Betis defenders were seen kicking water bottles off the pitch. However, the situation had escalated beyond a simple delay.
Referee takes decisive action
Referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero had already issued warnings to both teams about objects being thrown onto the field. Following the missile incident during the penalty preparation, he made the decisive call to halt the proceedings.
The official informed both managers, Matias Almeyda of Sevilla and Manuel Pellegrini of Betis, of his decision to suspend the match. This pivotal moment came shortly after Sevilla's Isaac Romero was shown a red card in the 84th minute for kicking Valentin Gomez, an action that had further inflamed tensions within the stadium.
Eventual conclusion and potential punishment
After a lengthy stoppage, an announcement was made that the game would resume in 15 minutes. Supporters were given a final, stark reminder that the match would be abandoned completely if the disruptive behaviour continued.
Fortunately for the visiting side, the game was eventually completed and Real Betis secured a hard-earned 2-0 victory. The result pushes Pellegrini's team up to fifth in the La Liga table, while Sevilla drop to 13th.
The fallout from the event is likely to continue. Due to the behaviour of its supporters, Sevilla now faces a potential punishment from the football authorities. Precedent suggests this could involve a fine and a partial closure of their stadium for future home games.
This incident echoes a similar event from October, where Atletico Madrid were initially given a three-game stadium ban after objects were thrown at Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, though that punishment was later reduced on appeal.
Amid the on-pitch drama, chants calling for changes at the board level were also audible, highlighting the ongoing discontent among Sevilla fans with the club's performances this season.
