Real Sociedad head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo and assistant manager Omer Toprak were both sent off on Saturday night as a controversial experimental rule caused total chaos during their 2-1 La Liga victory match against Espanyol.
The incident unfolded in the 91st minute of the game when Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro suffered an injury in a collision with teammate Jon Aramburu, bringing the medical team onto the pitch while the Basque side held a 2-1 lead.
Because Real Sociedad had already made all five of their permitted substitutions, Remiro remained on the pitch after receiving medical attention. The referee then enforced a new trial rule introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which requires an outfield player to temporarily leave the field for one minute after play resumes whenever a goalkeeper receives on-field care without being replaced.
San Sebastian Captain Sent to Touchline
Under the experimental IFAB protocol, if no outfield player steps forward to leave the pitch voluntarily, the team captain must exit. Captain Igor Zubeldia was consequently ordered to the touchline in total confusion, leaving Real Sociedad with ten players to defend their lead during the closing moments of the match.
Zubeldia protested against the decision on the pitch but was forced to comply and leave the field. The defender was also shown a yellow card by the referee during the exchange.
The situation caused immense anger on the Real Sociedad bench, where head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo reacted furiously to the referee's application of the rule. The American manager attempted to convince the official that Remiro was genuinely injured and was not attempting to waste time.
Matarazzo's persistent protests resulted in his expulsion from the match by the referee. Assistant coach Omer Toprak was also shown a red card and sent off as tempers flared along the touchline.
Background on Real Sociedad and Espanyol
Real Sociedad is a historic Spanish football club based in San Sebastian in the Basque Country of northern Spain. Founded in 1909, the club competes in La Liga, Spain's top professional division, and plays its home matches at the Reale Arena. Espanyol, officially known as Real Club Deportivo Espanyol de Barcelona, is a historic top-flight club based in Catalonia.
Matarazzo, an American head coach born in New Jersey, joined Real Sociedad after previously managing VfB Stuttgart and TSG Hoffenheim in Germany's Bundesliga. He is assisted by Toprak, a former international defender who played for Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund before transitioning into coaching.
Alex Remiro is Real Sociedad's first-choice goalkeeper, having joined the Basque club in 2019. Igor Zubeldia is a product of the club's Zubieta youth academy who serves as team captain and central defender, while Jon Aramburu is a Venezuelan international defender for the San Sebastian side.
Understanding the IFAB Experimental Rule
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is the governing body responsible for determining and updating the official Laws of the Game across global football. IFAB introduced this trial rule to prevent teams from using fake goalkeeper injuries to disrupt the flow of play or to grant coaches an artificial opportunity to give tactical instructions.
The experimental rule includes specific exceptions where an outfield player is not required to leave the pitch for a minute. These exceptions apply notably in cases of severe injuries or certain head collisions between players.
Modern football regulations permit managers to make up to five substitutions during a 90-minute match, typically spread across three stoppage windows. Because Real Sociedad had used all five changes prior to the 91st minute injury, Remiro could not be replaced by a substitute goalkeeper.
Final Stoppage Time Defending
With Matarazzo and Toprak expelled from the technical area and captain Zubeldia sent to the touchline for one minute, Real Sociedad were forced to navigate the final minutes of stoppage time with ten players on the pitch and no coaching staff on the bench.
