Football player's finger bitten off during youth match on Costa del Sol

There has been a new serious case of violence in Malaga province youth football: a 17-year-old player from C.F. Juventud Veleño La Cantera de Vélez-Málaga has undergone partial amputation of his left middle finger after being bitten by an opposition player, 18, from Unión Deportiva Algarrobo.

The incident happened during a match at the Vivar Téllez municipal stadium in Vélez-Málaga on Sunday, 12 October. The home team was leading 2-1 as regulation time was about to end, but the scores evened up in the 90th minute.

The referee then extended the match by seven minutes. During this period, tension was high and the referee even ordered two players to the bench, one from each team, for a violent tackle. However, a pitched battle broke out in the 96th minute, when the home team scored again: 3-2.

A brawl between the players broke out in several places on the pitch and the coaches tried to intervene. At one point, three Vélez-Málaga players were allegedly seen hitting a footballer from Algarrobo.

The Algarrobo player, as a reflex, "closed his mouth to defend himself", which is when he bit off a small part of another player's finger. Although he was operated on at Hospital Comarcal de la Axarquía, the victim lost part of his middle finger, as the doctors could not reattach it.

Both players have filed complaints with the National Police, who are investigating the incident.

The Malaga football federation has already taken the first disciplinary measures following this incident. As confirmed by the management of both teams, three players from the Vélez-Málaga team and four from Agarrobo have been suspended as a precautionary measure and their federation cards have been taken.

The managers of the two teams have expressed their sadness over an incident involving players that, although playing for different teams, usually have friendly relations. "What happens is that when there is such tension at the end of a match, these unfortunate things happen, although they shouldn't," Manuel Rojo from the management board of Unión Deportiva Algarrobo said.