Jhon Duran’s MMA-style grapple on Zenit debut draws only a yellow | OneFootball

Jhon Duran produced an MMA-style grapple on his Zenit debut on Tuesday, escaping with only a yellow during a friendly against Krasnodar in Dubai.

He had joined Zenit Saint Petersburg only days earlier and made headlines inside five minutes. According to L'Équipe, the 22-year-old was sent clear for his first chance, was barged by his marker, then wrapped an arm around the defender’s neck to haul him down.

The referee showed a yellow card, though the images suggested the act might have warranted a harsher sanction.

Duran’s name had been linked with Lille earlier this winter. He rose to prominence in 2024 with Aston Villa, scoring regularly and impressing.

A year ago he joined Al Nassr for a record fee of €75 million, then was loaned at the start of this season to Fenerbahçe to free a foreign-player slot at Cristiano Ronaldo’s club. He struggled in Türkiye, scoring five in 21 across all competitions, and moved again on loan this winter to Zenit.

Source: L'Équipe