Pedro Henriques says Bednarek's yellow card was fair | OneFootball

The game between Santa Clara and FC Porto, which ended with a 0–1 result in favor of the dragons, was influenced by a disciplinary incident at the 11th minute that warrants a technical analysis according to the Laws of the Game.

The incident at the 11th minute

“Promising attack. Bednarek correctly receives a yellow card for extending his right arm and touching Gabriel Silva's neck with his hand, thus interrupting a play that already posed some danger (stopping a promising attack).”

Technical framework

From the refereeing perspective, it is a stopping of a promising attack. Bednarek's intervention does not aim to legally contest the ball; he uses his arm to halt the opponent, preventing the continuation of a play that contained elements of danger: offensive trajectory, ball control, and potential for progression.

Law 12 allows for a warning for any foul that interrupts a promising attack, especially when there is contact with the hand/arm outside a normal contest context. The fact that the touch occurs in the neck area emphasizes the need for disciplinary action, although not with enough intensity to be classified as violent conduct or excessive use of force.

Yellow card: correct decision

The punishment applied is therefore adequate and proportional. It was not a clear goal-scoring opportunity—which could justify a more severe sanction—but a play with relevant offensive potential. The yellow card serves a preventive and educational function, signaling that tactical fouls of this nature will not be tolerated.

Consistency and game control

It is also worth highlighting the consistency of the decision throughout the match. The referee's timely reading helped maintain disciplinary control and prevent the repetition of similar infractions. In a balanced game decided by a narrow margin, these correct decisions are crucial to preserving the fairness of the result.

As a former referee, I understand that the incident was correctly assessed: foul appropriately called and yellow card rightly shown for stopping a promising attack. In a match that FC Porto won 0–1, the refereeing was up to the task in this decisive moment, applying the Laws of the Game with judgment and calmness.

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