Atletico star Angel Correa hit with five-game ban after insulting official

Correa was sent off in the 88th minute by referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez after a late challenge on defender Djene Dakonam.

At the time, Atletico led 1-0 but conceded twice in four minutes following his dismissal, dealing a blow to their LaLiga title hopes.

Furious with the decision, Correa launched an offensive tirade at the referee, reportedly calling him a "son of a thousand wh--es" and "a wimp."

His actions led to a severe punishment from the Spanish football federation's disciplinary committee.

The Argentine will serve a total of five games - one for the red card and an additional four for his verbal abuse.

As a result, Correa will miss crucial LaLiga fixtures against Barcelona, Espanyol, Sevilla, and Real Valladolid, as well as the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barcelona.

However, the ban does not apply to the Champions League, allowing him to be available for Atletico's upcoming round-of-16 second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The disciplinary committee justified their decision by stating that pressure and nerves do not excuse such insults.

Correa later apologised on social media for his actions, but the damage had already been done. 

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