Sent off very quickly on Sunday against Olympique Lyonnais, Leonardo Balerdi will learn his sanction this Wednesday evening. But OM is pleading for one of its player’s two yellow cards to be cancelled.
Leonardo Balerdi made a brief appearance on the Groupama Stadium pitch last Sunday, the Argentinian player receiving a first warning, then a second, which resulted in an expulsion. A decision that did not prevent Roberto De Zerbi’s team from winning in Lyon after a spectacular match, but which also prompted Mehdi Benatia to very vehemently attack Benoit Bastien, who officiated for this match. Once calm has returned, the Marseille leaders nevertheless hope that Leonardo Balerdi will not be suspended this Wednesday evening during the meeting of the disciplinary committee of the Professional Football League. To do this, they have gathered evidence that will be submitted to the Ligue 1 police in order to contest the second warning, which resulted in the defender’s expulsion.
A foul by Lacazette on Balerdi?
OM would like to point out that Alexandre Lacazette first pulled on the jersey of his Marseille opponent, before the latter reacted and that the referee should therefore have whistled a foul on Balerdi rather than the other way around. If Olympique de Marseille obtained the cancellation of this second warning, then the Argentinian player would not be suspended. But it is unlikely that this will be the case, unless the referee of this OL-OM sends a report going in this direction of a possible. In other words, if Pablo Longoria clearly wants to make his mark, the LFP disciplinary committee will probably not have the same reading as the president of Olympique de Marseille who will have at least shown OM supporters that he never gives up. Note that Mehdi Benatia could be taken by the patrol, the referees not having appreciated the comments of the Marseille manager, who on the air of the Ligue 1 broadcaster clearly questioned the integrity of Benoît Bastien.
