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Club América and León played the wildest Liga MX game in this Clausura 2023 on Saturday. It was a riveting 2-2 draw that ended up with both coaches promising to punch each other in the dressing rooms. But while one of them finished the game with his shirt ripped, no punches were thrown at the end.
Savage, right? But hold your beer because the match produced an even more iconic and viral image involving referee Fernando Hérnandez, who decided to assault a León player by kneeing him between the legs.
Referee knees Liga MX player
When América scored an equalizer for 1-1 in the 62nd minute, León players surrounded the official complaining that there was a handball just before Diego Valdés' goal.
Judge yourself.
The protests were loud and the mood was spicing up quickly. The ref fought back with a couple of yellow cards and then, boom! Hernández's left knee went straight between Lucas Romero's legs.
The ref's behavior was immediately criticized by fans and pundits who are asking for an exemplary punishment, including a ban for the rest of the season.
After the game, people who talked with the official said he insisted "it was unintentional." Some León players also reached out to Hernández and told the media they believed him. "It was unintentional and that's that," explained goalkeeper and captain Rodolfo Cota.
Lucas Romero, the man struck by the knee, was also forgiving towards the ref.
"They are human beings and can make mistakes," he said. "The only thing I ask for is that they (refs) respect us the way we respect them."
All good, but do we really think this was unintentional? Look at the ref's face!
Que tal el dolo del árbitro para darle un rodillazo en donde duele al jugador de León.
Pero no hubiera sido al revés porque el jugador se va expulsado y un año sin jugar. pic.twitter.com/tVeMQo6sIi— Cesar Gutiérrez Priego M.R. (@cesargutipri) April 2, 2023
Liga MX announced they've opened an investigation related to the incident.
