Not that we can claim to have seen them all, but Pies are prepared to go out on a limb and declare that Lyon defender Marcelo was the recipient of the harshest red card administered anywhere in world football over the weekend.
The Brazilian centre-half was shown a soft yellow card for ‘obstructing’ Angers forward Baptiste Santamaria, only to receive a second caution just seconds later after accidentally flicking the yellow card out of the referee’s hand…
With Lyon a man light for the majority of the second half, subsequently surrendering a 3-1 lead to end up drawing the match 3-3.
Unsurprisingly, chairman Jean-Michel Aulas was able to identify the turning point post-match, telling reporters:
We did not comprehend it when it happened. We produced good football, then this red card changed the game.
Marcelo was unjustly dismissed so I hope the referee will do the necessary thing and ensure that Marcelo will be [avoid suspension to be] with us against Monaco.
Surely one look back at the video is all the disciplinary committee will need to right this incontrovertibly farcical wrong?
That said, maybe we’re showing far too much faith in the competence of a footballing authority, there.