Lisandro Martínez gets three-match ban at Man Utd for hair pull | OneFootball

Manchester United will have to navigate a demanding end to the Premier League season without one of their most important defensive pieces. Lisandro Martínez was handed a three-match suspension after being sent off in the 2-1 defeat to Leeds for pulling an opponent’s hair.

The red card for the Argentina international center-back came in the latest round of the tournament, ten minutes into the second half, following a tussle with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. With the ball there to be contested, he grabbed his opponent by the hair bun, which led to VAR stepping in and the referee’s subsequent decision.

The official in charge of the review, Paul Tierney, deemed the action violent conduct and recommended an immediate red card. Based on that interpretation, the referee had no hesitation in sending him off before the final whistle at Old Trafford, but it did not end there. As the days went by, it resulted in a harsher sanction than expected.

According to English regulations, this type of offense usually carries a two-match suspension, but it ultimately became three. That difference caused surprise within the Red Devils camp, which did not hide its displeasure with the disciplinary ruling.

Manager Michael Carrick expressed his dissatisfaction at a press conference after learning of Lisandro’s suspension: «We’re tremendously disappointed, of course. I think there are quite a few reasons to be very disappointed by this type of situation over the last three weeks. But, obviously, now we have to move on. The decisions have already been made, it’s something that disappoints us greatly in many ways, but that’s that. We have to move on, and we will.»

The defender had just returned to action after two months out through injury and had started that league match. However, this punishment will once again leave him sidelined at a crucial moment in the season. The schedule offers no respite, and Manchester United will have to play without him against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool, key fixtures in the battle to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

With only six matches left to play, the Argentine will miss half of the run-in. His return is scheduled for May 9, when his team face Sunderland.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.