Valencia to appeal Elliott's red card after Liverpool loanee apologises for Villarreal dismissal

Harvey Elliott faces a potential suspension after being sent off in Valencia’s 2-1 La Liga defeat to Villarreal, with manager Javier Aguirre vowing to appeal the dismissal he described as “absurd” and “ridiculous”.

The Liverpool loanee received two yellow cards in the closing stages — the first for a foul, the second for apparent dissent — a sequence that left Aguirre furious. “It’s an absurd, ridiculous sending-off,” the former Mexico manager said. “I don’t know what he could have said to the referee; he barely speaks Spanish, so getting sent off for something he said just makes me angry. It’s not his fault; the fault is mine.”

Aguirre subsequently confirmed Valencia are exploring whether the double booking can be challenged. “Elliott’s sending off is very difficult, very, very difficult,” he said. “I even asked Voro if there was a way to appeal against the two yellow cards because you get one for lowering your hand and another for raising your hand. The guy doesn’t speak Spanish — imagine if he could, he insulted me. So, this all came out of it.”

Elliott moved quickly to address the incident publicly, posting an apology to fans. “I would like to apologise to my team-mates and the incredible Valencia CF supporters for yesterday’s sending-off,” the 23-year-old wrote. “I made a mistake and I’m truly sorry. It won’t happen again. Right now, I’m just focused on coming back, working even harder and helping the team get out of this situation as soon as possible.”

The midfielder joined Valencia on a season-long loan from Liverpool in the summer after a difficult spell with Aston Villa. He has made six appearances for the Spanish club so far but is yet to start a match or register a goal or assist.

The timing is particularly awkward for Valencia, who sit 19th in La Liga with just one win from their opening ten games. Their next league fixture, against Elche, already carries significant relegation implications.