Soccer

Manchester United star Fred avoids a straight red after headbutt on Leandro Paredes


Manchester United star Fred somehow escapes a red card for headbutt on PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes despite referee watching it on pitchside monitor after VAR referral… but he’s then sent off later on for a harsh second yellow

Rio Ferdinand has labelled Fred a ‘lucky boy’ after the Manchester United star stunningly avoided a straight red after headbutting PSG counterpart Leandro Paredes in the Champions League

The Parisians were up in arms midway through the first half after an off-the-ball altercation between the two South Americans, in which the Argentine midfielder was left sprawling on the Old Trafford turf. 

Television replays showed that the Brazilian forced his head into his rival’s, in what would ordinarily be a straight card offence. 

Video replays showed Fred headbutting PSG's Leandro Paredes in Wednesday's clash

Video replays showed Fred headbutting PSG’s Leandro Paredes in Wednesday’s clash

Paredes goes down clutching his face, but Fred avoided a sending off despite a VAR referral

Paredes goes down clutching his face, but Fred avoided a sending off despite a VAR referral

Fred protests his innocence after receiving a booking from the referee in the first-half

Fred protests his innocence after receiving a booking from the referee in the first-half

Italian referee Daniele Orsato was advised by VAR to go to the pitchside monitor to review the incident, but inexplicably the official opted to brandish a yellow card for the 27-year-old.   

‘He is a lucky boy to be on the pitch,’ former United defender Ferdinand told BT Sport. ‘There’s been a few occasions where he could have got at least a yellow card.

‘This is the headbutt. There is a coming together and he motions towards the player. He makes a meal of it but he is lucky to be on the pitch.’

Manchester United star Fred avoided a straight red card for a headbutt

Manchester United star Fred avoided a straight red card for a headbutt

The Brazilian forced his head into Leandro Paredes' in the first half at Old Trafford

The Brazilian forced his head into Leandro Paredes’ in the first half at Old Trafford

Paul Scholes concurred with Ferdinand’s analysis, offering that United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may be tempted to substitute the midfielder from the feisty affair.  

‘He is very lucky, he needs to stay a little bit quiet,’ Scholes added. ‘Ole will think about taking him off but that is what I have enjoyed about this game there is a bit of needle.’

Solskjaer opted to leave Fred on in the second half and he was eventually dismissed for a late challenge on Ander Herrara in which he appeared to have won the ball, but Orsato resorted to giving the Brazilian his marching orders.

PSG were up in arms but after consulting VAR the referee only brandished a yellow card

PSG were up in arms but after consulting VAR the referee only brandished a yellow card

‘Fred shouldn’t put his head toward him, I don’t think he touched him but he was lucky,’ United boss Solskjaer said after the game. 

‘I thought maybe he was a bit lucky to stay on when the referee decided to give him anything.’

When asked whether he should have withdrawn the midfielder at half time, Solskjaer said: ‘Maybe… but Fred has played really well and we spoke about staying calm and staying on your feet. The second yellow was definitely not a foul and Ander knows that.’

United host Paris Saint Germain knowing that a point would guarantee their place in the knockout rounds in February. 







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