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WATCH: Marco Verratti Picks Up A Bizarre Yellow Card

WATCH: Marco Verratti Picks Up A Bizarre Yellow Card

What's the referee thinking, here?

Joe Baiamonte

Joe Baiamonte

We may never know why, during yesterday's Ligue Un match with Nantes, PSG midfielder Marco Verratti decided to get down on his hands and knees to head a pass back to goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, but what we do know is that the referee's decision to book the Italian international for his actions was nothing short of bizarre.

Admittedly, Verratti's pass was rather unusual, but referee Johan Hamel deciding that it was 'unsportsmanlike behaviour' that flew in the face of rule 12 from a memorandum sent to referees prior to the beginning of the season in which players attempting to 'circumvent the letter and spirit' is completely irrational.

It's probably for the best that Zlatan left Ligue Un behind if such displays are being cautioned, nowadays...

Credit: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The reigning French champions were indebted to the free scoring Edinson Cavani, once again, as the Uruguayan fired them to victory with a double, but the main talking point was Hamel's inexplicable decision to book Verratti:


Passe en retrait de la tête de Marco Verratti... by Au-taquet

Verratti's move certainly didn't seem disrespectful and Hamel's decision to caution the young Italian midfielder feels more like a senselessly strict interpretation of a rule designed to restrict creative expression on the ball.

An extremely poor show from the official.

(H/T 101 Great Goals)

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football, marco verratti, PSG, France