Vahid Halilhodzic’s anger seemed justified. The FC Nantes coach had received a red card during his team’s match against Brest on Sunday (1-1) for protesting too vigorously against Guillaume Paradis’ decision to exclude Dehmaine Tabibou for a foul on Luck Zogbè, deemed as “thwarting a clear goal-scoring opportunity.”
According to our information, confirming L’Équipe’s report, the referee of the match requested in an additional report that the red card given to the Nantes player be ultimately overturned. While the Canaries were leading 1-0 at the hour mark, the official had harshly decided to send off the midfielder for a foul just outside the penalty area on Brest’s Luck Zogbè, who appeared to be heading towards the goal.
“After reviewing the post-match footage, it appears that it is not 100% certain that Mr. Zogbè had clear control of the ball after his touch. Thus, the initial decision, made on the field, to warn Mr. Tabibou Assoumani for unsporting behavior, should have been maintained. I therefore recommend cancelling the exclusion and requalifying the disciplinary sanction as a warning for the aforementioned reason,” wrote Guillaume Paradis in his report submitted to the Professional Football League this Monday.
Tabibou could be available against PSG on Wednesday
A decision made after long minutes of video consultation, which lead to Vahid Halilhodzic’s furious reaction to the point of being sent off to the locker room by Guillaume Paradis. The Nantes team ended up being equalized in injury time, after holding on to three crucial points in the relegation battle.
“When I see an injustice like that, I have to react,” Halilhodzic said to Ligue 1 + microphone. “I’m subjective, but I didn’t understand all of this. I asked (the referee) afterwards, why the red card? There needs to be some respect, sir. Who does this man think he is?”
It is now up to the disciplinary committee, which will meet on Tuesday at 2 p.m., to make a decision regarding the red card shown to Dehmaine Tabibou. If the expulsion is canceled, the Nantes player would be available to face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday (7 p.m.) for a rescheduled match of the 26th round of the French Championship.
