July 5th 2024.
During the Euro 2024 tournament, football legend Ian Wright spoke out against a rule enforced by UEFA. He expressed his frustration after Spain defeated the host country Germany in the quarter-finals, securing their spot in the semi-finals. However, this victory came at a cost.
Two players from the Spanish team, Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand, received their second yellow cards of the tournament during the game against Germany. This meant that they would be suspended for the upcoming semi-final match. In a desperate move, Carvajal intentionally committed a foul late in the game, knowing that he was already suspended and would now also be sent off.
To make matters worse, Alvaro Morata was also shown a yellow card while celebrating Spain's late winning goal. However, he later clarified that the card was actually given to his teammate Fabian Ruiz. This led to confusion about the number of yellow cards each player had received and whether they would be suspended for the semi-final.
According to UEFA rules, yellow cards are reset after the quarter-final stage, meaning that players who receive a booking in the semi-final will not be suspended for the final. This rule is outlined in Article 54, which states that "cautions from matches in the final tournament that have not resulted in a suspension expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals."
When this rule was pointed out to Wright during his commentary on ITV, he was quick to criticize it, calling it "ridiculous." He pointed out that a player could receive a yellow card in the first game of the tournament and then again in the fourth game, causing them to miss the crucial semi-final match. He also expressed sympathy for the Spanish players who would now have to face the semi-final without some key players.
His co-host, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, had a different perspective. He argued that missing the semi-final was not the end of the world and that the Spanish team had a deep squad of players who could step up. He even joked that it could be worse, as the players could miss the final instead. However, he did acknowledge that some of the yellow cards received by the Spanish players were avoidable and could have been prevented.
As the conversation continued, it was clear that both Wright and Keane had valid points. The UEFA rule may seem unfair to some, but ultimately it is up to the players to follow the rules and avoid unnecessary bookings. The tension surrounding the issue was palpable, and it was clear that there would be more to come as the tournament progressed.
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