Getafe’s LaLiga victory over Elche produced one of the quirkiest stories of the matchday - and arguably the season. In the closing stages of the Week 14 clash at the Estadio Coliseum, referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández brandished a red card in the direction of the Getafe bench. At first glance, the recipient seemed to be José Bordalás, Los Azulones’ ever-fiery head coach. Bordalás even protested the decision as if it were aimed squarely at him. However, Hernández Hernández’s official match report revealed a surprising twist: the man sent off was a familiar face in officiating circles - Manuel Mejuto González, a former top-flight referee and now Getafe’s matchday delegate. “In the 90th minute, delegate Mejuto González, Manuel Enrique, was dismissed for the following reason,” reads the referee’s report documenting the incident. “As the person responsible for the stadium’s ball boys, he was held accountable for their behavior during the second half, which caused several delays in restarting play.”
Mejuto González, considered one of the best referees in Spanish football, ended his career in 2010 after officiating the Copa del Rey final on May 19, played between Atlético de Madrid and Sevilla, which Sevilla won thanks to goals from Diego Capel and Jesús Navas. An international referee since 1999, he participated in two European Championships and the legendary Champions League final in which Liverpool came back from 0-3 against AC Milan before winning on penalties.
Source: as