UEFA Rule on Further Champions League Punishment for Matheus Cunha
Manchester United hero Matheus Cunha will avoid further punishment from UEFA after he failed to leave the pitch following his red card against Roma. The Brazilian played hero for United on Tuesday, bagging a late brace to complete his side's thrilling Champions League comeback.
After falling down 2-0 inside the opening 18 minutes, the Red Devils scored three unanswered goals in the second half to claim abreathless 3-2 victory. Cunha scored the winner in the 86th minute, igniting raucous celebrations at Old Trafford.
The forward removed his shirt before jumping in the crowd, earning himself a yellow card. His evening soon turned even more dramatic when he picked up his second booking in stoppage time for a poor challenge on Roma defender Leonardo Balerdi.
Despite seeing red, Cunha did not follow the competition's rules and head down the tunnel; instead, he sat on the advertising boards and watched the remaining minutes of the game. At the final whistle, he joined the fray on the pitch to celebrate with his team before Michael Carrick seemingly urged him in the direction of the dressing room.
Cunha's actions could have warranted extra sanctions, but he escaped with just a one-game ban. "The UEFA official reports did not mention anything about this incident," a UEFA spokesperson said.
"Therefore the automatic one-match ban following two yellow cards should not be extended for this reason. We are not investigating further this matter.
The Game Cunha Will Miss for United Matheus Cunha will only miss one game for Manchester United. Since he was sent off in the Champions League, his ban is tied to the competition, not domestic play.
Cunha will also be available to feature against Liverpool once the Red Devils return to action following the November international break. The one-game ban will come into effect for United 's clash with Sporting CP on Wednesday, Nov.
Cunha will not make the trip to Lisbon, where Carrick's men will hope to secure their third Champions League win in their first five matches back in Europe's premier club competition. Had Cunha faced additional punishment for not leaving the pitch on Tuesday, he would have also missed the Red Devils' match against RB Leipzig on Tuesday, Dec."