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Swiss coach slams 'erroneous' Embolo red card in World Cup exit
🇵🇦 Panama /Sports

Swiss coach slams 'erroneous' Embolo red card in World Cup exit

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Switzerland's coach Murat Yakin criticized the referee's decision to send off Breel Embolo for simulation in their World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina.
  • Yakin argued that the red card disrupted Switzerland's momentum and that the VAR intervention, under the 'Mistaken Identity' rule, was questionable.
  • Despite the controversial expulsion, Yakin congratulated Argentina and stated that football itself did not emerge as the winner from the match.

Switzerland's coach Murat Yakin expressed strong dismay over the expulsion of player Breel Embolo during their 3-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina. Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation in the 72nd minute, a decision that Yakin believes unfairly penalized his team.

We were dominating, but that red card punished us. It is very painful that we were eliminated in this manner; I don't think we deserved it.

— Murat YakinExpressing his disappointment after the match.

"We were dominating, but that red card punished us. It is very painful that we were eliminated in this manner; I don't think we deserved it," Yakin stated during a press conference. He questioned the referee's decision, particularly the VAR's intervention, which overturned an initial yellow card for an Argentine player to instead penalize Embolo. Yakin noted he was unfamiliar with the 'Mistaken Identity' rule that allowed the correction.

The fact that the referee made that erroneous decision and interfered is something that is not understood.

— Murat YakinCommenting on the VAR intervention and the red card decision.

"The fact that the referee made that erroneous decision and interfered is something that is not understood," Yakin added. "It was an innocent situation, it was not harmful, the ball should have been allowed to keep rolling." He acknowledged that after the expulsion, his team's objective shifted towards reaching a penalty shootout.

It was an innocent situation, it was not harmful, the ball should have been allowed to keep rolling.

— Murat YakinDescribing the incident that led to Embolo's expulsion.

While Yakin congratulated Argentina on their victory, he lamented the nature of the match's turning point. "I believe football did not emerge as the winner today," he remarked. He also defended Embolo, stating, "I do not blame him at all, it would be absurd; he is a true team player." Yakin did not believe Argentina received special treatment from referees, describing the match as fair and open.

I believe football did not emerge as the winner today.

— Murat YakinReflecting on the controversial nature of the match's outcome.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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