Fuenlabrada

The season-ending Segunda Division encounter was called off shortly before its scheduled kick-off time last Monday after several Fuenlabrada players tested positive for coronavirus.

There are now 28 positive cases connected to the club and Fuenlabrada admitted in a statement on Sunday that "it is impossible to foresee when and under what conditions" the game could go ahead.

The statement suggested the Madrid outfit were willing to accept a permanent cancellation, an outcome that would resign them to an eighth-place finish and deny Jose Ramon Sandoval's charges the chance to compete in the four-team play-off for promotion to the top flight.

LaLiga responded by expressing its "absolute appreciation" for Fuenlabrada's "enormous sacrifice" and the league's president, Javier Tebas, publicly took responsibility for the awkward situation, tweeting: "FOOTBALL OWES YOU ONE."

But while LaLiga claimed it had communicated the "definitive suspension of the match" to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), and that sixth-placed Elche would retain the final play-off spot, the matter appears far from finished.

Fuenlabrada released a follow-up statement clarifying their view that the match could still take place in early August, adding: "We understand that LaLiga is not the only competent body to make this decision.

"The decision is also in the hands of the RFEF Competition Committee and, where appropriate, the CSD [National Sports Council].

"Fuenlabrada is not considered out of the play-off and remains pending the resolution of the other competent bodies."

Depor, who like Fuenlabrada have played a game fewer than 20 other Segunda Division sides, will be closely monitoring the developments.

The former top-flight title winners hoped to avoid relegation with a final-day victory and have threatened legal action over a postponement that has left them in limbo.

Cristobal found himself at the centre of one of the most peculiar incidents of the season on Sunday, as Fuenla hosted Girona at Estadio Fernando Torres in Spain's Segunda.

With Fuenla chasing a 1-0 deficit, they looked to have received a significant blow when Cristobal was sent off after a collision with Girona captain Alex Granell – the former seeming to go in with a high foot.

But following a VAR review, Cristobal's red card was downgraded to a yellow card and he had to be fetched from the hosts' dressing room.

Fuenla's joy was short-lived, however, as the nonsense was just getting started.

While making his way back on to the pitch, Cristobal pointed at Granell, made a talking gesture with his hand and then became embroiled in an altercation with him – the pair going head-to-head.

Referee Isidro Diaz de Mera showed them both a yellow card, and subsequently Cristobal's second red of the day.

Fuenla coach Miguel Chamorro then followed Cristobal back to the locker room after he too was shown a red card for his protestations.

There was to be no VAR reprieve this time, and Fuenlabrada succumbed to a 1-0 defeat - Cristhian Stuani with the decisive goal.

Cristobal can at least console himself with the fact he was party to one of the most bizarre red card incidents one is ever likely to see.