Ex-Leeds United star who left Elland Road this summer could be handed significant ban after recent comments
Diogo Llorente has landed himself in hot water following recent comments made about Liga F officiating.
Former Leeds United defender Diego Llorente could be faced with a ban following comments he made regarding a decision against him during his latest performance for Real Betis.
The 31-year-old, who moved to back to Spain this summer after four years at Elland Road, was penalised for a handball offence during his side’s La Liga meeting with Sevilla on Sunday. The hosts came away with a slim 1-0 win thanks to Dodi Lukébakio’s spot-kick, which came following Llorente’s handball.
However, the centre-back has gone public with his thoughts on the incident, defending that his hands were not in an unnatural position. Llorente believes that not only was it an incorrect decision against Real Betis but a ‘disrespectful’ call by the officials.
Speaking to Spanish outlet Sport, Llorente said: “The truth is that the penalty… I just saw the images and I don’t understand anything. My hands are down, he says I have them open and at no time do I have my hands horizontal.
“It’s no longer only that he calls a penalty, which is what he can interpret on the field, but that the VAR doesn’t call him and on top of that tells him that my hands are like that, it is disrespectful to us, it is regrettable to be honest.
“The referees have been using the VAR for a while now, there are no excuses, and in the end they take care of themselves. The explanations that we have all seen on television are lies. It’s not just that you’re saying it, but on top of that they’re lying to your face, it’s inexplicable to me.”
A new update from ABC Sevilla (relayed via Sport Witness) has indicated that Llorente could be facing a ban for his criticism of referee Martínez Munuera and other officials. The 31-year-old’s comments have been reported to the Comité de Competición and while there is no mention of how long the suspension could last, it may well be a lengthy one.
Last year, Real Betis midfielder Sergio Canales was suspended for four matches after criticising a match official but it can be argued his words ‘weren’t as strong’ as Llorente’s rant.
There was a lot of speculation surrounding Llorente’s future as he approached the final weeks of his time at Leeds. He joined the Whites in 2020 and spent three years playing for the club before heading for AS Roma on loan last sseason. After his loan spell with Roma, the defender eventually made the move to Betis for an undisclosed fee. However, the YEP understood the price exceeded the €3 million (£2.5m). Llorente has played every minute of league football for Betis so far this season, so this potential ban could be a huge blow for his new club.