Cazorla and Viñas Sent Off: How VAR Wrecked the Balance at Oviedo

Ortalama Futmetrix Puanı: 37/100. A 0-0 stalemate that could have reshaped two relegation-battlers' seasons imploded when VAR escalated two yellow cards to reds in the final moments.

Chaos Strikes at the 89-Minute Mark

Until the 89th minute, Oviedo and Mallorca had waged a controlled intensity battle. With 62% possession, the hosts dictated play while the visitors hunted on the break—5 shots on target to the hosts' 3. Then the dam burst.

Santi Cazorla picked up a yellow card for a foul in the 89th minute. VAR intervened and upgraded it to red. Nine minutes later—deep into stoppage time—Federico Viñas suffered the same fate: yellow card escalated to a straight red by the video official. Oviedo went from 11 to 9 men in seconds, transforming an balance-ed contest into a defensive nightmare.

Escandell Stands Alone Against the Storm

Aarón Escandell was the wall between total collapse and resilience. With 5 commanding saves, Oviedo's goalkeeper neutralized Lucas Bergström's Mallorca, who made just 3 interventions. Both keepers delivered a masterclass in defensive stakes on a night where the numbers lied: 28 combined shots (8 on target) but no goals.

Pressure was relentless. Oviedo generated 15 shots with an xG of 1.11; Mallorca replied with 13 attempts and 0.77 xG. Thirteen fouls and 13 corners underscored a battle without mercy, but the late red cards transformed what could have been a crucial point into a catastrophe for Oviedo's survival hopes.

For Oviedo—19th place with just 10 points—losing two starters in the final moments is brutal. For Mallorca, the draw keeps them 15th without a win in five, but at least they escape with a full squad intact.