As you’d expect, Arsene Wenger is furiously angry about this ban (this translates as “disappointed” with the verdict), which he sees as further evidence of a witch hunt against his team.
I see Wenger’s point, I really do. Uefa’s panel took less than an hour to come to a judgment on Eduardo’s case, surely not enough time to fully absorb the contents of a 19-page defence dossier that Arsenal had prepared in their player’s defence.
Still, dossier or no dossier, the video evidence is damning. So…
Did Eduardo dive? Yes.
Do other players dive? Yes, all the time, without punishment.
Have Uefa made an example of Eduardo? Yes, without any question.
But is the verdict actually unfair? Well, I think a one-match ban would have been about right, but it’s the lack of consistency that must be extremely frustrating to Wenger. If you’re going to punish Eduardo, then make sure you’re equally as vigilant when a striker from Serie A or La Liga, for example, does the same in a Champions League match this season.
I’ll be watching Uefa closely – but not as closely, I suspect, as most Arsenal fans.
What do you make of the ban? Fair or unfair? Leave a comment or simply vote below: