Antonio Valencia’s escaped with a booking for his first-half challenge on Toni Lato during the final round of group stage matches in the Champions League.
The Manchester United right-back lunged in on the Valencia left-back early in the match and was rewarded with a card.
Read more: Manchester United Champions League draw: Who could Red Devils face in last 16?
However, many fans took to Twitter suggesting that the challenge merited a red card. Valencia was clearly challenging for the ball, but both his legs collided with Lato, who went to ground injured.
It was not hard to argue that Valencia was not in control of the tackle, as he appeared to injure Lato and lunged in with both feet.
Reaction
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Fans remarked on the poor tackle, blaming Valencia’s judgement. Many said it was moments like this which show why he no longer regularly starts for Manchester United.
FFS Antonio Valencia that is an awful tackle
, poor guy.
— Sihle Mlambo
(@SihleSays) December 12, 2018
antonio valencia just killed a man and got a yellow for it
— A West (@ayyy_west) December 12, 2018
What is Antonio Valencia doing. That is a red card I’m sorry. Ugly tackle. Not intentional but have to be a bit more careful
— klayv
(@clivemuhoro) December 12, 2018
Antonio Valencia treats opponents the way Jose Mourinho treats water bottles.
— Brooks Peck (@BrooksDT) December 12, 2018
Antonio Valencia just needs to go… he’s had the odd good game here and there but let’s face it, he was an extremely underwhelming signing back in ‘09 and how he’s still at United is beyond me
— Becky (@aplacetohide) December 12, 2018
Antonio Valencia with another rash, excessive force tackle, in awful form and his decision making is pathetic, simply not good enough. #bbcfootball
— Thomas Knights (@tomknights1) December 12, 2018
What the rules say
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The rules state that a player can only be sent off in the instance of a challenge for the ball of this sort for “serious foul play”. The technical definition of serious foul play is:
“A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play. Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
In this instance, it can be argued that Antonio Valencia, who did lunge with some force, could have endangered the safety of Toni Lato, who spent some time on the ground after the challenge and was later substituted, early in the second half.
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More on the Champions League:
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