Aymeric Laporte (Athletic) appeal fails: one-match ban stands

Athletic Club’s appeal over Aymeric Laporte’s straight red has been rejected, meaning he will miss Sunday’s match against Getafe due to a one-game ban. The Bilbao side took the case to the Committee of Sports Discipline after the sending-off in Levante-Athletic.

The decision cites that, in the 73rd minute, referee Alejandro Quintero González sent Laporte off for bringing down an opponent “avoiding an obvious goal-scoring opportunity”. Athletic’s argument was that the footage showed a duel without contact, so the factual basis for the dismissal did not apply.

However, the committee rules that the video is compatible with what’s written in the match report and says the club’s evidence does not prove any “manifest material error”, so the suspension remains.