Colombian referee Luis Matorel has reportedly been removed from the Liga BetPlay officiating panel after allowing Jaguares de Córdoba to have 12 players on the pitch during their match against Millonarios on October 17. The Colombian Football Federation has not announced a formal sanction, so his exclusion from the rest of the tournament remains unconfirmed.
A Claim From a Former Referee
The report came from former referee Wilmer Barahona, who said the official from the Bolívar department had been taken off national refereeing because of ‘repeated errors’. The clearest sign of a possible punishment is that Matorel was not named to any of the 10 matches listed in the federation’s appointments for matchday 18 of the Liga BetPlay Dimayor II-2026, published on November 5.
Barahona described the 12-player episode as the final straw. Commentator Carlos Antonio Vélez went further, questioning how Matorel could keep officiating after a series of contested performances, while commentator Tito Puccetti pointed to the referee’s record with penalty decisions and technical calls.
The Incident at El Campín
The irregularity occurred at the Nemesio Camacho El Campín in matchday 15, which Millonarios won 4-1. In the 77th minute, Santiago Cubides came on for Jonathan Lovera, but both players stayed on the pitch for several seconds, leaving Jaguares with an extra man on the field.
Millonarios players and journalists in the stadium noticed the situation. Television footage later showed Matorel counting the Jaguares players before play restarted. Although the error did not change the result, it raised serious questions about the referee team’s control over substitutions.
Match Details and Reaction
Andrey Estupiñán opened the scoring in the 34th minute, and Leonardo Castro doubled the lead six minutes later. Cristian Álvarez pulled one back for Jaguares from a free kick in first-half stoppage time. Estupiñán headed in his second in the 63rd minute, and Daniel Ruiz sealed the win seven minutes later. Matorel showed 11 yellow cards and 25 fouls over the game, and other decisions also drew criticism.
Millonarios captain Mackalister Silva avoided commenting in depth on the officiating, saying everyone had seen the match and could draw their own conclusions, while adding that all referees are also assessed and that the goal is to improve Colombian football.
Source: www.infobae.com
