SC Freiburg Faces Setback with Johan Manzambi’s Suspension

omidbasir- Shortly before kickoff in their Tuesday evening DFB Pokal fixture, SC Freiburg was dealt a significant blow. The club announced that Johan Manzambi will be sidelined for the next three Bundesliga matches following a stringent penalty imposed by the DFB sports court.

The controversy surrounding Manzambi’s red card stemmed from a decision by match official Deniz Aytekin, who upgraded Manzambi’s yellow card after a VAR review. The incident occurred during a challenge in the 50th minute when Bremen’s Olivier Deman slid into Manzambi, resulting in Manzambi inadvertently making contact with Deman’s calf. The intent behind the collision was unclear, leading to heated discussions about the officiating.

This decision marked the beginning of a series of officiating controversies that ultimately pushed SC Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster to express his frustration. Schuster himself will also be unavailable for the upcoming Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim, as he has received his fourth yellow card of the season.

Manzambi’s suspension extends to matches against TSG Hoffenheim (Saturday), Borussia Mönchengladbach (February 22), and Eintracht Frankfurt (March 1). Freiburg released a statement expressing their disagreement with the three-match ban, although they did not indicate whether they would pursue an appeal.

Earlier this season, Manzambi had already faced a two-match suspension for a previous red card. To date, he has accumulated two red cards and four yellow cards during his tenure at the Sport Club. According to DFB accumulation rules, another yellow card would result in an extended absence.

Additionally, Manzambi’s teammate, Jan Niklas Beste, who recently scored his first goal for SC Freiburg in the match against Bremen, is also on the brink of a suspension with four yellow cards to his name.