‘He just lost’ it’—how costly will Cunha’s red card prove?
Source: http://richportaltv.com
The impact of losing star forward Matheus Cunha for at least three Premier League games may be even more devastating for Wolves than their FA Cup fifth-round loss to Bournemouth.
After being sent off for an unsavory altercation with Cherries defender Milos Kerkez in the last minute of extra time, the 25-year-old had to be carried down the tunnel and was unable to participate in the penalty shootout.
Vitor Pereira, the manager of Wolves, stated: “There was obviously a lot of pressure on everyone, not just on the field but also on the bench and in the stands. Eventually, it does.
“It should not happen, but this is something that happens in football.”
Both Matt Doherty and Boubacar Traore missed spot-kicks for the Wolves in the 5-4 shootout defeat after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes at Vitality Stadium.
It was a dramatic climax to a game where Evanilson had put the Cherries ahead on his return from injury before his fellow Brazilian Cunha leveled with a sensational equalizer from around 30 yards.
However, Cunha’s display went from magical to madness with a dismissal that will leave his side—fourth bottom in the Premier League—without their best player for crucial games in their relegation fight.
The red-mist moment, where he clashed multiple times with Kerkez, including fighting, kicking out at the Hungarian full-back while he was on the ground, and aiming a headbutt when Kerkez had got back to his feet.
After being pulled away by teammates, referee Sam Barrott eventually gave him a red card, but a furious Cunha refused to leave the field, needing to be escorted and pushed down the tunnel.
After receiving a red card for aggressive behavior, he will be suspended for three games, but, given the seriousness of the event and the fact that he had served a two-match ban for a confrontation with Ipswich Town security in December, more games cannot be ruled out.
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said on Match of the Day: “The ability he has is top level; the goal he scored belongs in the Champions League, but then suddenly we see the ugly.
“I have not seen that on the football pitch since the 1970s—he just lost it. The referee had to send him off. They couldn’t get him out of the ground. This was the ugly part, and it is something he has to stop.
“Wolves need points to stay up. He will be a huge loss.”