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There can rarely be a greater handicap for a team during a football match than having a player get sent off. Red cards can severely hamper any team's plans and massively disrupt the flow of the game. In many cases, red cards are given directly to a player for serious offenses when they violate the game's laws.
There can be several instances where players receive red cards. Aside from direct red cards, a player getting two yellow cards in the same game is considered an equivalent of a red card. The players who get sent off not only have to sit out the remaining game, the team has to play with one man less.
Some teams stand out on the list for the highest accumulated red cards since the turn of the new millennium. Interestingly enough, La Liga and Serie A dominate the list, which is not surprising. Italian Serie A has a reputation for being a more physical and aggressive league.
On that note, let's take a look at the 10 teams with the highest number of red cards since 2000.
#10 AC Milan
AC Milan has been one of the most dominant names in Italian football. The club, based in Milan, has been a European powerhouse, winning seven Champions League titles, several Serie A titles and other domestic trophies. They have employed some of the biggest names in world football like Kaka and Andriy Shevchenko, among others.
However, the last decade has been hard for the club from Milan. Their last league title came in 2011, and their might has diminished greatly. While that may be the more worrying element, AC Milan has seen the 10th-most red cards among teams from the big five leagues. Since 2000, AC Milan has received 138 red cards across the league and all major competitions combined.
#9 Athletic Bilbao
Younger football fans today might not be aware of the glorious past of Athletic Bilbao. The Basque-based club has a rich legacy for winning major domestic honors over the last century. Their golden patch was before the second world war era when Bilbao contested the league and the Copa del Rey. Sadly for them, the dominance has largely faded in the modern era.
Athletic Bilbao shares the 10th spot on this list with AC Milan as the club has received 138 red cards as well. Despite their diminishing stature in recent times, Athletic Bilbao surprised many by winning the Spanish Super Cup in 2020-21.
#8 Udinese
Udinese Calcio has completed 100 years in existence as a football club. The club has seen everything from nearly winning a historic Scudetto to being relegated due to being part of a betting scandal. Many fans find Udinese synonymous with forward Antonio Di Natale, who has been an iconic figure for the club.
Sadly for Udinese, points and respectable positions have been short. With 139 cards across all competitions, Udinese is 8th on the list.
#7 Atletico Madrid
It would have been quite surprising not to see Atletico Madrid on this list based on their preferred style of play. Diego Simeone has completely transformed the club since joining them in 2011, and the side now plays in a rugged style. Atletico's way of playing involves taking no prisoners, keeping the defense tight, and hitting opponents on the counter.
It's no surprise that Atletico have accrued a high number of red cards in the new millennium. Across all the major tournaments in which Atletico has participated, their players have collectively picked up 143 red cards.
#6 Real Madrid
Real Madrid have trumped their city rivals on a list they would have preferred to avoid. There remains nothing new to be said about Real as every football fan knows the rich heritage and legacy of Los Blancos. The club from the Spanish city of Madrid has won the prestigious Champions League more than any other club on the planet (13).
Over the years, Real have won a huge number of domestic titles and cups as well. They have hosted some of the grandest names in the world of football like Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos and many more.
However, Real Madrid players have also accrued 153 red cards in all major tournaments since the turn of the new millennium. It's a record people wouldn't normally associate with a club that plays expansionary football traditionally.
#5 Espanyol
Espanyol is a club with a deep cultural heritage and legacy tied to Spanish history. It is the first Spanish club established without any links to Britain or Central Europe. The club is yet to win a first division title and based on recent trends, it seems near impossible in the foreseeable future. This is even though Espanyol was one of the founding members of La Liga.
Espanyol was recently relegated but returned shortly after to the Spanish top division. The historical rivals of Barcelona have reached finals in the European Cup and won the Copa Del Rey in the past. The Catalan club have accrued 158 red cards since 2000 and are fifth on the list.
#4 AS Roma
Football fans revere Francesco Totti for his outstanding loyalty, and AS Roma is the club the great Italian was loyal to. Roma's dominance may have been reduced in later years, with the club going through turbulent times in the current campaign. But the great club has won Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia on several occasions in the past.
AS Roma started the latest millennium in stellar fashion by winning their third Serie A title in 2000-01. However, major success has eluded the club.
Roma are positioned fourth on this list with 164 red cards.
#3 Valencia
Valencia have been at the center stone of several controversies in the recent past. Financial troubles have taken the sheen away from the once-great club that used to challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona for the league title. During the war era, Valencia was a legendary club, winning several La Liga titles. They came close a few times before beginning the new millennium with a bang.
Valencia won the La Liga title in 2001-02 and replicated their success in 2003-04. Valencia also won the Copa del Rey on several occasions, including in 2018-19. While off-field issues have greatly hampered progress, the club also has the third-highest number of accumulated red cards, with 175 red cards.
#2 Sevilla
The Andalusian club of Sevilla has been one of the most successful clubs. They have been a challenger to the traditional top three in recent times. Sevilla have won only one league title in their history, but the club has found a lot of success in European football.
While Real Madrid holds the record for the maximum number of Champions League titles, Sevilla holds the same record for the Europa League (6).
Sevilla have been doing a lot of things right in recent time frames. Under Julen Lopetegui, Sevilla play a very attractive brand of football that looks great to watch. However, there is also a rough side to their game. Sevilla are a joint topper at the highest number of red cards, with 181 red cards since 2000 in all competitions.
#1 Lazio
No football club would have minded topping a competitive list, but it's quite unlikely that Lazio would have wanted to top this list in particular. Lazio is one of the oldest clubs from the Italian capital of Rome and is known mostly for its footballing activities. Unlike a few on this list, Lazio have had success recently, particularly in the Coppa Italia.
Lazio play an attractive brand of attacking football, but they also have hard-tackling defenders on their side. That resulted in a high number of red cards. Lazio have received 181 red cards across all competitions since 2000, making them joint toppers in this list.
