Sevilla finished the lost away game against Real Sociedad on Sunday with nine players. Sergio Ramos and Jesús Navas did not make it to the final whistle. Yet, coach Diego Alonso was not dissatisfied.

Both veterans had to leave the field in the final phase with a red card. Ramos for a hard foul, Navas for talking. 'On the field, I didn't think it was a foul,' said teammate Lucas Ocampos in an interview with Diario de Sevilla. 'The referee first lets it go, then he gives a yellow, then red, and then consults VAR. It was all very strange.'

The former Ajax player says he still doesn’t quite know what to make of it. 'Referees in La Liga allow more for teams with more authority. They should be fair and treat every club the same. I don’t know why this referee gave a red card. And when I turned around, I saw that Jesús also got a red.'

On social media, Navas quickly expressed regret. 'I apologize to the fans and my teammates. This is the first time this has happened to me and it will not happen again.'

Greater Desire

In the run-up to the UEFA Champions League match against PSV, Alonso did not achieve a victory in his fifth league game as the coach of Sevilla. Does this worry the 48-year-old coach? 'We really want to win. That requires an even greater desire. And more confidence in my players' abilities.'

In the second half, Alonso saw Sevilla as the dominant team. 'This was the best game since I've been here. The result is unfair. Even with nine men, we could have equalized. "Heads up", I've already told my players. Seeing what the players have given, we can leave with our heads held high.'