VAR review proves studs hit the shin: Marcos Alonso sent off in Celta-Osasuna

The rescheduled match between Celta and Osasuna at Balaidos, originally postponed due to a fungus that damaged the stadium's pitch, delivered one of the most talked-about VAR reviews of the round. In the 51st minute, with the home side leading 1-0, Marcos Alonso lunged into a hard challenge on Iker Muñoz. Referee Miguel Sesma initially reached for a yellow card, but the video assistant referee urged him to check the monitor and his decision completely changed.

• Marcos Alonso was shown a straight red card in the 51st minute of Celta-Osasuna for a challenge on Iker Muñoz.
• Referee Miguel Sesma had only booked the Celta defender before being alerted by VAR.
• The replay showed the studs struck the Osasuna player's shin, not his foot or ankle.
• The red card means a one-match ban, which Alonso will serve against Athletic Club at Balaidos.

What the VAR conversation revealed before Marcos Alonso's red card

It started from the VOR room, where official Rubén Ávalos contacted Miguel Sesma with a clear message: he recommended a review to assess a possible sending-off. As the referee walked toward the pitchside monitor, he asked his assistants to keep the technical areas under control. In the background, the shout of "red, red" could be heard.

Once at the screen, the VAR team explained what they had spotted: the Celta player arrived with an extended leg, at high intensity, and planted his studs into the Osasuna player's ankle. Sesma was not satisfied with a single angle and requested normal-speed footage, a different view, repeated short clips, and a final look at the exact point of contact.

How the referee changed his mind after checking the replay

The review proved decisive. Sesma concluded it was a red card for serious foul play. The extended leg and the intensity of the challenge were obvious, but the key detail was another one: he believed the contact had not been full-on, until a specific image showed him clearly that the studs struck the Osasuna player directly on the shin, not on the foot or the ankle.

I think it is a red card because he goes in with an extended leg, with a lot of intensity, it seems like serious foul play to me. I thought he had not caught him fully but there is an image where you can clearly see the studs hit him on the shin and not the foot, nor the ankle.

The referee's match report and Marcos Alonso's one-match ban

In his written report, the referee recorded that the red card was given for a challenge while disputing the ball with excessive force. That wording, commonly used in these situations, does not open the door to a longer suspension beyond the standard one-match ban that comes with a straight red card. The left-back will therefore miss only the next league fixture.

What Marcos Alonso misses: the home game against Athletic Club

The automatic suspension rules Marcos Alonso out of Celta's match next Sunday, again at their own stadium, against Athletic Club. The defender, a regular starter since joining the Galician side, leaves a significant gap on the left side for a demanding fixture against a direct rival in the race for European places.

The absence comes at a time when Celta are leaning on their home strength to secure safety and look upward in the table. Alonso's red card forces the coach to reshuffle the defense and find a reliable alternative to cover his position.

Why was Celta-Osasuna played later than scheduled?

This Celta-Osasuna match was not played on its original date. The game had to be postponed after a fungus appeared on the Balaidos pitch, a problem that damaged the grass and forced the fixture to be moved to a new slot in the calendar. Once the issue was solved, the match went ahead at the Vigo stadium without major problems on the surface, leaving the spotlight for Marcos Alonso's challenge and the subsequent VAR intervention.

Frequently asked questions about Marcos Alonso's red card