A Player's Finger Partially Bitten Off in a Youth Match in Málaga

Another serious violent incident has occurred in the lower categories of Málaga football. A player from C.F. Juventud Veleño La Cantera in Vélez-Málaga suffered a partial amputation of his left hand's middle finger after being bitten by a player from Unión Deportiva Algarrobo in a youth category match.

The incident took place at noon last Sunday, the 12th, at the end of the match between the two teams, which are part of group 1 of the 4th Andalusian youth category, at the Vivar Téllez municipal stadium in Vélez-Málaga. The match was 2-1 in favour of the home team as the regulation time was about to end. The visitors equalised in the 90th minute.

The referee then extended the match by seven minutes. During this time, tensions were high, and the referee expelled two players, one from each team, for a violent incident. However, a brawl erupted in the 96th minute when the home team scored again, making it 3-2.

The scuffle among players occurred in various parts of the field, and the crowd and coaches "tried to separate them at all times," according to statements made this Friday by directors of both teams to this newspaper. However, in one of the confrontations, three players from the Vélez team were allegedly hitting another from Algarrobo.

At one point, after being punched in the face, "he closed his mouth to defend himself, it was a reflex action, unfortunately catching a small part of the finger," explained Manuel Rojo, a member of the Unión Deportiva Algarrobo's board, to SUR. The alleged aggressor is 18 years old, and the victim is 17. Meanwhile, the C.F. Juventud Veleño La Cantera's board declined to provide further details to SUR about the circumstances of the aggression.

The Vélez player lost part of the phalanx of that middle finger on his left hand, as it could not be successfully reattached, despite being found on the ground and operated on at the Axarquía Regional Hospital. Both players have filed complaints with the National Police Station, which is already investigating the events, as confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Málaga Football Federation has already taken the first disciplinary actions following this brawl. Thus, as confirmed by the directors of both teams, three players from the Vélez team and four from Algarrobo have been temporarily suspended, with their federation cards withdrawn.

The directors of both entities have regretted the events and condemned the brawl that erupted after the 3-2 and the aggression against the Vélez player. "We are friendly teams, we hold social meals, and many of the kids are friends. However, when there is such tension at the end of a match, these unfortunate things happen, but they should never occur," expressed Rojo.