Atletico Madrid's 1-0 La Liga victory was overshadowed by Getafe defender Abdel Abqar's dismissal for touching the genitals of their striker Alexander Sorloth.

With the hosts leading through Nahuel Molina's long-range strike into the top corner in the eighth minute, Saturday's match descended into chaos seven minutes after the second-half restart.

Referee Miguel Angel Ortiz halted play and indicated a video assistant referee (VAR) check for a possible red-card offence.

Replays on the big screens at Estadio Metropolitano showed Abqar touched Sorloth's groin during an off-the-ball altercation, with the Norwegian forward then pulling his opponent to the ground in retaliation.

After consulting the pitchside monitor, Moroccan Abqar was sent off and Sorloth booked for his reaction.

"It was not my intention to touch the player in this area," Abqar told Movistar afterwards.

"You see it in every game, and in football, we're touching, clashing and everything, but I never thought about touching him in that area.

"I don't know what the referee saw but you can see it clearly and I swear that I never thought about touching him there."

But Atleti goalkeeper Juan Musso added: "These are things that happened 30 years ago, the referee was right to sent him off.

"Before you could do this [in football], now there is no place for these things."

Sorloth had hit the post before the break, but it was Getafe who spurned several late opportunities to level despite their numerical disadvantage.

A fourth straight win moved Diego Simeone's side up to third place in La Liga with 57 points, six behind second-placed Real Madrid and 10 adrift of leaders Barcelona having played a game more.