Expelled during his team’s victory against Athletic, Nabil Fekir is at the heart of the debates in Spain. Where we rather line up on his side.
A dirty move. But who understands. This is how Spain judges the red card of Nabil Fekir, during the duel between Betis and Athletic on Sunday afternoon. On the left flank, the French allowed himself to juggle. Result, a Basque player came to put a cleat on him, annoyed. Then, Iker Muniain came to provoke him, while the former OL player was on the ground. The latter sent him what is more commonly called a brush, and received a red card that was difficult to contest in the process.
Enough to revive a very present debate in Spain, but also in Ligue 1: are artists sufficiently protected? On the other side of the Pyrenees, we have been talking about it for months already, and the Fekir case was already talking about well before the weekend event. It must be said that the number 8 of the Sevillian club suffers a lot of faults, with interventions very often muscular, and the referees do not necessarily crack down. Hence his frustration, and his sometimes inappropriate gestures in response.
An easy target
It’s simple, since his arrival in Spain in the summer of 2019, he has been the player who has received the most fouls in La Liga. He is also the player who has been the victim of the most faults this season among the five major European championships. “I haven’t spoken to him yet, I will. It is not the first time that he reacts after having received twenty kicks. He is a player who holds the ball, who does not throw himself on the ground and out of twenty faults he suffers, ten are not reported. He reacted. It is understandable, without justifying it”explained his coach Manuel Pellegrini after the meeting.
And in Spain, most people agree, and believe that Fekir, like other players with a similar profile, should receive more protection from the referees, for the attractiveness and spectacle of the championship. Now, it remains to be seen what sanction the Betis player will receive. Manuel Pellegrini risks having to do without his services for several matches…
