Right-back Adrià Altimira was sent off for mocking applause directed at referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias during Valencia Club de Fútbol's 3-1 La Liga loss to Deportivo. The incident, reported by Sport.es, occurred this weekend and leaves Valencia in a precarious league position, currently 17th with just one point from three matches.
Altimira came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute replacing Luismi Cruz, with the score already 3-1 to the home side. Deportivo secured their first Primera División victory of the season through this result. The player, who joined the club in January from Villarreal, became Deportivo's first sending off this campaign.
Why did he receive two yellow cards?
The first yellow card was for "putting objections to one of his decisions," according to the referee's report from Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias, an official from the Madrid refereeing committee. Immediately afterward, the referee showed the second yellow. The official report states it was "for approaching me, applauding in a mocking gesture, after a decision had been made." The two bookings were consecutive, leading directly to the red card.
Altimira was playing as a right-back in a five-man defensive line when the incident occurred. His introduction coincided with a period of increased Valencia CF pressure on goalkeeper Leo Román's goal, though the Galician keeper had little to do in the closing minutes. The sending off didn't change the final result but will have disciplinary consequences.
What suspension does Altimira face now?
The full-back will serve a one-match ban, meaning he'll miss the next league match against Villarreal. He'll be available again for the fixture against Getafe, scheduled for the second weekend of September though with kick-off time still unconfirmed. This absence adds to Valencia's already extensive injury list, which includes players like S. Canos, J. Copete, J. De Haas, D. Lopez, P. Maffeo and G. Rodriguez, according to our updated data.
The team's situation is difficult, with only one goal scored and four conceded in three matches, resulting in a -3 goal difference. In the current standings, Valencia sits in 17th place, eight points behind leaders Real Madrid. Their next fixture is against Barcelona, fourth in the table, at home on September 6, 2026.
How does this affect Valencia CF?
Altimira's sending off is another episode in a difficult start to the season for Valencia Club de Fútbol. The team needs to recover points quickly to move away from relegation positions. With several injury absences confirmed on our injuries page, every available player becomes more important.
Defensive performance is a concern, with four goals conceded in three matches. The stats data shows the team must improve both in chance creation and defensive solidity. Barcelona's upcoming visit to Mestalla represents a huge challenge for a squad seeking its first win of the season. The full squad, available on our squad page, must step up to reverse this negative trend.
