‘Never a red’ – Former PL midfielder defends Lo Celso after controversial VAR decision

Former Wolves defender Karl Henry has claimed that Giovani Lo Celso’s challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta was not a red car […]

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Former Wolves defender Karl Henry has claimed that Giovani Lo Celso’s challenge on Cesar Azpilicueta was not a red car offence and that VAR got the call correct by not reversing Michael Oliver’s decision.

While Lo Celso’s challenge on Azpilicueta looked innocuous when it happened, slow-motion replays revealed that the Argentine had appeared to stamp on the Chelsea defender’s shin.

However, the VAR in-charge of the game decided that it wasn’t a clear and obvious error on the part of the referee, thus meaning that the Spurs midfielder was let off.

As it happened, the decision didn’t have any bearing on the actual result as Chelsea ran away as 2-1 winners on the day.

While VAR’s decision to not send Lo Celso off has received a lot of criticism, Henry felt that the call was the right one as it was the Chelsea defender that slid his foot under Lo Celso as he was planting his foot down.

The 37-year-old posted the following series of tweets about the incident:

Watched several times. Never a red card for me.

Lo Celso is trying to put his foot on top of the ball. There’s no intent or force from him. Azpilicueta slides with force under Lo Celso’s foot so looks bad.

Understanding what Lo Celso is trying to do with the ball is crucial. https://t.co/yHpfuSFW66

— Karl Henry (@karlhenry08) February 22, 2020

I would say that most players/former players would say that there was zero intent and that Lo Celso was in fact trying to put his foot on top of the ball. https://t.co/RoWE95Axkg

— Karl Henry (@karlhenry08) February 22, 2020

I disagree completely.

If a player tries an overhead kick, but ends up kicking the defender in the head because the defender got there first, should he be sent off?

No!

Late and dangerous, but no intent. https://t.co/75vwY5fsVx

— Karl Henry (@karlhenry08) February 23, 2020

If you try and put your foot on top of the ball and, before you touch the ball, I slide underneath your foot and kick the ball away, where is your foot going to go? Onto my shin.

Is that classed as a stamp? Not for me.

Played the game. Seen it many times. Intent is key here. https://t.co/ngY9TsPi7R

— Karl Henry (@karlhenry08) February 23, 2020

Spurs Web Opinion

I certainly take Henry’s point about Lo Celso perhaps not intending to step on Azpilicueta but I still think he was fortunate not to get sent off as nine out of ten officials would have given the Argentine his marching orders. In truth, only Lo Celso knows whether there was any intent or not.

The post ‘Never a red’ – Former PL midfielder defends Lo Celso after controversial VAR decision appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.