Franco Soto, the head of the Technical Committee of Referees in Spain, shared an amusing story from his refereeing career during an interview on the Al Jazeera podcast. He recounted a match in Galicia, where he ended up expelling three players from the home team in the first half and, amidst protests during halftime, sent off several more. By the time he entered the locker room, Soto had a remarkable six or seven ejections to his name from that one match.

The chaotic situation escalated when the home team refused to return for the second half, prompting Soto to wait for the Civil Guard to arrive before resuming the game. The most striking aspect of this episode was the match report published in 'La Voz de Galicia', which humorously included the names of all players from the Flavia team as expelled, noting that every player except the goalkeeper had received a card.

Soto reflected on this extraordinary occurrence, stating it was something he had never witnessed before. Such rare moments highlight the unpredictable nature of officiating in football, confirming that even seasoned referees can experience bizarre and unforgettable situations during their careers.