with video
Miguel Almirón was the first player at the World Cup to have to deal with a new, strict rule. The Paraguay midfielder talked with his hand over his mouth during an upset in the match against Turkey. The VAR noticed it and the referee immediately gave him a red card, much to the incomprehension of the Paraguayan national coach who spoke of a ‘conspiracy.’
Sports editor
It is one of the new rules in football that came into effect at the World Cup. Earlier, Danny Makkelie had a first when he was whistled back by the VAR because he had given the wrong player a yellow card.
On Saturday morning, Miguel Almirón, star player of Paraguay, also had a scoop. During an altercation between his teammates and the players of Turkey, Almirón briefly talked with his hand over his mouth. Since this World Cup, there has been a clear penalty for this: direct red.
The Turkish players saw it and immediately called for VAR. The video referee had already noticed and called referee Iván Cisneros to the screen. The referee from El Salvador didn’t have to look long and handed out the red card.
The new rule was introduced after, among other things, the racism incident in February in the match between Benfica and Real Madrid in the Champions League. Footage showed Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni covering his mouth as he addressed Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior.
Prestianni and his club Benfica denied. But UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary committee concluded that the Argentine player was guilty of discrimination and suspended him for six matches, three of which were conditional.
National coach Paraguay angry
Paraguayan national coach Gustavo Alfaro was not pleased with the red card: “I find it difficult to play this new sport. Because that is what it is: a new sport,” was the first striking statement. “I respect it when new rules are introduced, but they are sometimes applied in a different way.”
“I have nothing to say about it, but all the new rules have been fully applied to Paraguay today. From the first to the last page,” Alfaro continued. “It made me feel like there was a conspiracy against us. Now everything is being checked and an excessive amount of time was also added. You just want justice: win or lose because you were better or worse than your opponent.”
View the red card for Almíron below:
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