Ligue 1 was on Wednesday evening treated to horrific scenes after a dangerous tackle left Gianluigi Donnarumma with deep cuts on his face.
The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper was on the receiving end of the tackle from Wilfried Singo during his side’s game against Monaco at the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille.
Wilfried Singo’s tackle on Donnarumma
Singo inadvertently stepped on Donnarumma’s face after the Italian goalkeeper parried away his attempt on goal.
Donnarumma received treatment on the field, but his facial injuries were too serious for him to continue. Matvei Safonov replaced him in the 25th minute.
Why Wilfried Singo wasn’t sent off for tackle on Donnarumma
For such a horror tackle, one would think that the referee, François Letexier, would have sent off Singo. However, and rather surprisingly to many, the 2024 Champions League final referee did not even show a yellow card to the Ivorian.
L’Equipe reports that Letexier adjudged the foul to be “reckless” but not “inconsiderate” behaviour, according to IFAB’s Laws of the Game, and thus not deserving of a red card.
Section 12 of the law says that a player should be sent off if:
“A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play. Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
Singo’s tackle definitely endangered Donnarumma and as Mail Online reports he required 10 stitches afterwards, but it was at the referee’s discretion whether or not it was deliberate.
Even more interestingly, the AFCON 2023 winning defender was already on a yellow card before the incident.
Ligue 1 table
PSG went on to win the game 4-2 courtesy of a brace from Ousmane Dembele and a goal apiece from Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos. Ben Seghir and Breel Embolo scored for Monaco. The win takes Luis Enrique’s side to 40 points, 10 clear of Marseille in second, who have played a game less.
Why Cucurella was red carded
Legit had earlier reported . The Chelsea defender received a red card after the final whistle.
It was the only stain to a brilliant 2-1 win for Enzo Maresca’s men, who cut the gap at the top of the table to two points.
