The expulsion of Mathias Zanka Jörgensen has sparked a lot of discussion. The Danish defender was heavily sanctioned after an intervention on Ferrari. However, on the side of the Brussels club, we cry injustice.
From the whistle, the initial reaction of the players and staff was unanimous: Loop had touched the ball first. An impression confirmed after viewing the images, according to coach David Hubert. “I’ve looked at the footage from every possible angle, and at no point do I see an action where he doesn’t touch the ball,” he said with conviction.
For Anderlecht, the referee Lothar D’Hondt would have acted hastily by brandishing a red card. “He should never have made this decision immediately. From his position, it was impossible to determine who had touched the ball first. If he had let the VAR intervene, this controversy would not have taken place,” lamented Hubert.
Zanka, confident in his action, remained on the pitch waiting for the decision after the video check. But to everyone’s surprise, the initial verdict was upheld. “It’s extremely surprising. With the images available, I sincerely thought that he was going to be able to stay on the field,” added Hubert.
David Hubert does not understand the exclusion of Zanka against Sint-Truiden
After the match, the coach attempted to speak with the referee to understand the communication between D’Hondt and the VAR, led by Wesli De Cremer. “These decisions have major consequences. I would like to know on what basis this sanction was confirmed,” he explained.
Despite this, Hubert praised the state of mind of his players: “They fought with an exemplary mentality. This is worth emphasizing.” Zanka’s immediate future remains uncertain. The decision of the federal prosecutor’s office will determine whether he can play in the clash against Genk this Sunday, a crucial match for Anderlecht, especially given the limited number of central defenders available.
Asked about the continuation of this “affair”, Hubert replied pragmatically: “Do I hope that Zanka will not be suspended? Of course. But it is out of my control. What seems clear to me is that “That boy doesn’t deserve such punishment.”
