By RYAN TOLMICH
Currently in pursuit of a league title, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to be suspended for four games, and Paris Saint-Germain is none to happy about it.
The Swedish superstar will be suspended for three games and saw a previous suspended one-match ban activated for his post-game tirade at officials on March 15, but Olivier Letang, PSG’s deputy sporting director, believes the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
“For us, Zlatan should not be suspended, because he aimed no hurtful or insulting words at the match officials,” said Letang, who was one of a panel representing Ibrahimovic. “The fourth official confirmed his words were said after the officials’ dressing-room door had been closed. Zlatan was only talking to himself, in an area that we can consider ‘private.'”
Ibrahimovic, PSG’s leading scorer, will be out of league action until a home matchup with Guingamp on May 9.
Here are some more news and notes to kick off your Friday morning:
REAL MADRID WIN APPEAL OF RONALDO YELLOW CARD
Cristiano Ronaldo looked set for a suspension, but the appeal process has turned out to be a successful one for Real Madrid.
The Portuguese superstar was booked for a dive in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Rayo Vallacano, triggering a suspension for yellow card accumulation. Real Madrid’s appeal of that yellow has been successful, however, ensuring Ronaldo’s place in the lineup Saturday against Eibar.
“The RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) Competition Commitee has upheld the appeal submitted by Real Madrid against the yellow card shown to Cristiano Ronaldo in the match against Rayo Vallecano, agreeing to “rescind the caution imposed on the player by the referee”,” said a statement on Real Madrid’s website. “The forward will therefore be eligible to play in the La Liga matchday 31 game against Éibar.”
VALENCIA DEMAND APOLOGY FROM REFEREE
Undone by a last minute equalizer, Valencia is looking for answers.
Valencia was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw Thursday against Athletic Bilbao due to a late Aritz Aduriz equalizer that saw the forward score from an offside position. Furthermore, Valencia played much of the game down a man after Nicolas Otamendi was sent off controversially, ensuring a bit of outrage from coach Nuno Santos, whose side is in pursuit of a Champions League position.
“It is very difficult for me to make a calm analysis of the match because Otamendi touches the ball before San Jose and Athletic’s goal was clearly offside,” Santos said. “It is an outrage. It’s wrong if someone does not want Valencia to achieve their goals. We’ve done a good job, we deserved more, but we could not do anything about it. The players are outraged. They have clearly been hurt by a very obvious refereeing mistake. There are too many moments of injustice but we are not going to stop fighting.”
“I do not usually talk after games, but I need to voice a complaint against the refereeing performance,” added club president Amadeo Salvo. “(Referee Fernando) Teixeira should apologize and acknowledge the very negative nature of his attitude toward Valencia.”
QUICK KICKS
The Indonesian Super League has been suspended after just two games due to a dispute with the government regarding the status of two of the league’s teams. (REPORT)
PSV Eindhoven star Memphis Depay will likely leave the club this summer. (REPORT)
Former Liverpool and current Fehnerbace midfielder Dirk Kuyt is set to join former club Feyenoord this summer. (REPORT)
Australia’s Perth Glory will not compete in the A-League finals due to salary cap breaches. (REPORT)
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is unsure if he will be with the club next season. (REPORT)
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What do you think of Ibrahimovic’s ban? What do you think of Real Madrid’s successful appeal? Is Valencia correct in the club’s demands for an apology?
Share your thoughts below.
not a huge Ibra fan, but he is exactly the kind of character that MLS needs.
Can you imagine the pyrotechnics if Zlatan came to MLS? Neither referees, nor opponents, nor teammates, nor coaches would be safe.
Eastbound and Down style.
Why would Real Madrid fight the yellow card? He should sit against Eibar and start with a clean slate for the final stretch of games. He will get that 5th yellow eventually and might actually miss a game that matters.
Seems to me someone is more interested in scoring goals then thinking about the team.
Why would Real Madrid fight the yellow card?
-Real Madrid filed the appeal (not the player).
-Speaking of the player, scoring 5 goals certainly has a way of helping the team – even if a byproduct is personal success.
-When you’re trailing Barcelona by 4 points, all remaining matches matter.
-Finally, why accept punishment if it was deemed to be unjust (and confirmed by the overturning). That sets a bad precedent now and in the future.
i thought john’s 1st paragraph did a fine job of explaining why madrid should just let ronaldo serve the ban and give him a clean slate. i was thinking the same thing until i saw that they’ll already be missing bale, james, and kroos for that match as well. wouldn’t be surprised if that was the only reason they appealed the card.
John’s last sentence flirts with the erosion of any rationality and does a fine job of just looking silly.
I’m a Real and Ronaldo fan, but if you don’t think that Ronaldo would rather play and keep the lead in the Pichichi race rather than wipe his yellow card accumulation and sit out against a minnow, then you are being naïve.
He will get the 5th yellow in the next couple of games and he will miss an important match. Not a matter of if but when.
I think any player that doesn’t believe a yellow was warranted and resulted in suspension would want to play, regardless what their name is.
To think just Ronaldo would want this is, in fact, naive. Being a fan (or not) has nothing do with the topic.
That is exactly my point. Unfair yellow yes, but big picture it is better for the team and for him to miss this one out, clean slate when he is back, and fresh legs for the Champions League game on Tuesday.
I don’t understand when fans act like they know what’s going on in someone’s head.
Plus, Ronaldo has only received 4 yellow cards in 30 or so games, there’s no guarantee he’ll get a fifth this season. This allows him at least the chance of playing in every game this season which obviously benefits RM quite a bit. They need to win pretty much every game to have a chance to catch Barca and having him in the lineup is the best way to do that.
Re Ibra: In the soft and poetic words of Ilya Bryzgalov, “It’s only game. Why you have to be mad?“
Ibra: “..What did Zlatan do? …Zlatan does not do wrong.”