Ukrainian player shown bizarre red card after 'asking to be substituted' during Portuguese game

Arouca defender Bogdan Milovanov was shown one of the more bizarre red cards in football history during a Portuguese Primeira Liga match against Boavista.

The match saw Arouca, who are bottom of the 18-team division, secure a stunning 4-0 victory at the home of a side that are nine places above them.

It was a rather bad-tempered affair, though, with one player from each side being shown a red card over the course of the 90 minutes. Boavista picked up six yellow cards.

One of those players sent off was Ukraine defender Milovanov, who was booked prior to half time before receiving a second yellow card in the 49th minute.

The Primeira Liga referee wrote in his post-match report that the reason for the second yellow card was that the full-back had delayed the restart.

However, TV cameras showed that an injured Milovanov had already signalled to the bench that he could not carry on, and asked to be substituted.

Історія, після яких українські арбітри виглядають суддями рівня фіналу ЛЧ.

У Португалії арбітр видалив українця Богдана Мілованова, коли той через травму не міг продовжувати гру і просив заміну.

Такого ми ще не бачили🤪

📹MEGOGOpic.twitter.com/XgG9TuDmxP

— Tribuna.com Україна (@tribunaua) December 4, 2023

Arouca appealed the sending off, and wrote a lengthy statement in defence of the player.

They say, as per Portuguese outlet Sapo, that the player 'makes a gesture with his hands signalling that he was unable to play more time and asked to be replaced'.

The statement continues: "Referee Tiago Martins apparently ignored it and returned to midfield, indicating for the game to continue.

"In order not to compromise the team's defensive moment, the player, of course, was forced to get up to follow the play.

"As soon as the ball left the field of play, he sat down on the pitch, with the intention of demonstrating that he was not in physical condition to continue the game, and to be replaced by his colleague.

"Having said that, referee Tiago Martins addressed Milovanov, showing him a second yellow card and subsequent red card, as he believed he had delayed the restart of the game."

But the Portuguese FA's disciplinary committee decided to uphold the one-match ban for the Ukraine defender, citing that they had no reason to doubt the referee's decision.

As a result, Milovanov will now miss Arouca's next game on Sunday, when they host fellow strugglers Rio Ave. A win would almost certainly lift them out of the relegation zone.