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5 Most Unfair Red Cards In Football History

Red cards are awarded in football when a player commits a serious offence, either related to fair play or if they have denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity, etc. While red cards are a good addition to the sport and help keep players disciplined throughout the game, they are not always handed out fairly. A red card is a very severe punishment and, if given out unfairly, can have catastrophic consequences. This article talks about the five most unfair red cards handed out in football history.

Most Unfair Red Cards Ever

Robin van Persie vs Barcelona

In what is arguably the most unfair red card in football history, Robin van Persie was sent off in Arsenal’s 2011 Round of 16 clash against Barcelona. The first leg had ended 2-1 in Arsenal’s favour, and Arsenal had just managed to make the 2nd leg score 1-1 thanks to an own goal by Sergio Busquets. However, in the 56th minute, van Persie attempted a shot but was deemed offside. He kicked the ball a few seconds after the whistle was blown, but the referee deemed that to be a waste of time. He showed him a second yellow, sending him off. Barcelona ended up winning the game 3-1, winning the tie 4-3 on aggregate thanks to this red card.

Kieran Gibbs vs Chelsea

In a bizarre case of mistaken identity, Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs was sent off instead of teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain during a Premier League clash with Chelsea in March 2014. Oxlade Chamberlin deliberately handled Eden Hazard’s shot inside the box to prevent the ball from sneaking into the goal. While the offence in itself was certainly a red card, what followed was not standard procedure.

#OnThisDay in 2014…

Referee Andre Marriner sent off Kieran Gibbs instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in a case of mistaken identity v Chelsea 🟥 pic.twitter.com/jThVmyHj8i

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 22, 2021

The referee took his eyes off the players while talking to the Chelsea players protesting and then proceeded to show Kieran Gibbs a red card. While Gibbs did look similar to Oxlade Chamberlin, no one expected such an incident to take place. While Oxlade Chamberlin tried telling the referee that it was him who handled the ball and should be sent off, his plea fell on deaf ears, and the red card shown to Kieran Gibbs stood.

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Kaka vs Ivory Coast

Kaka was given an absolutely ridiculous red card against Ivory Coast in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Brazil was leading 3-1 and was set to win the game comfortably when the referee decided to make a very controversial decision in the 88th minute. Abdul Kader Keita ran into the back of Kaka, who put his arm up to protect himself. This somehow caused Keita to drop to the ground, shouting and clutching his face as if he had been punched. The referee bought this act by the Ivory Coast star and decided to send Kaka off. The Brazilian star could not believe his luck and could only smile while walking off the field after being dismissed.

David Luiz vs Wolves

Credit: Sky Sports

David Luiz was controversially sent off in Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Wolves in February 2021 for a supposed foul on Willian Jose. In the 45+3rd minute, Pedro Neto slipped the ball behind Arsenal’s defence to put Willian Jose through on goal. David Luiz tried tracking him down and decided not to foul him. However, Jose’s heel hit Luiz’s knee while running and the striker decided to go down in hopes of getting a penalty. The referee obliged and even proceeded to give Luiz a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. What is even more shocking is that this was checked and cleared by the VAR, who saw nothing wrong with it.

Thiago Motta vs Barcelona

In the fiery second leg of the 2010 Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona, Thiago Motta was sent off in a decision that remains widely criticized. Inter Milan had won 3-1 in the first leg of the semi-final, but just 28 minutes into the second leg, Thiago Motta was shown a red card for a foul on Sergio Busquets. Motta’s outstretched hand hit Busquets, and he decided to go down dramatically to convince the referee to send him off.

Mourinho: ” When Thiago Motta saw the red card, the Barcelona dugout celebrated it like a goal… I went to Pep & said: “You think it’s over. It’s far from over.” Mourinho was Pep’s worst nightmare. pic.twitter.com/DbpPY0PqaQ

— Bilal 💫 (@RMmaniac_) April 25, 2023

This worked, and Motta was sent off, giving Barcelona a huge advantage. Sergio Busquets could be seen peeking through his hands and smiling while trying to see if Thiago Motta had been sent off. While this put pressure on Inter Milan, they managed to stay resilient and fortified their defence, conceding only one goal in the 84th minute to lose by just one goal and win 3-2 on aggregate to reach the final of the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League.

For more news articles and informative updates on controversial topics like unfair red cards as well as other football and cricket updates, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com.

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