Endrick’s Suspension Reduced After Disciplinary Review

omidbasir- Lyon forward Endrick has narrowly avoided an extended suspension after the Ligue 1 disciplinary authorities opted for leniency regarding his recent sending off against Nantes. The Brazilian international, currently on loan from Real Madrid, faced the prospect of a three-match ban after receiving a straight red card during the second half of Lyon’s 1-0 victory.

However, following a session of the LFP Disciplinary Committee on Wednesday, the initial decision was overturned. After reviewing match footage and considering the referee’s post-match report, which recommended a reclassification of the incident, the committee downgraded the sanction to a second yellow card.

As a result, Endrick will only serve a mandatory one-match suspension rather than the longer ban typically imposed for violent conduct.

“After reviewing the footage and taking into account the referee’s suggestion to rescind the red card, the Disciplinary Committee resolved to replace the red card with a second yellow card, leading to the ejection,” stated an LFP announcement.

“Consequently, the commission imposes a one-match suspension.”

The incident in question occurred in the 61st minute of a tightly contested match at the Groupama Stadium. With Lyon maintaining a narrow 1-0 lead, tensions escalated when Endrick clashed with Nantes midfielder Dehmaine Tabibou. In a moment of frustration, the 19-year-old appeared to kick out at his opponent after the ball had been played, prompting the referee to issue a straight red card immediately.

At that moment, it seemed that Lyon would suffer significantly, playing the remaining half-hour with ten men. Coach Paulo Fonseca expressed his disagreement with the decision, asserting, “For me, it was very harsh, very harsh. There was a very clear foul before the incident. The Nantes player did not intend to play the ball; he aimed to obstruct Endrick.”

Fortunately for Lyon, they managed to maintain their lead, securing a 12th consecutive win in all competitions, courtesy of Pavel Sulc’s first-half goal.

Endrick’s transfer to Lyon was intended to provide him with the playing time that was scarce at the Santiago Bernabeu. With Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo dominating the forward positions in the Spanish capital, the young talent struggled to find minutes under Xabi Alonso, making only two appearances after returning from injury. Just prior to Alonso’s departure, Madrid endorsed the January loan to ensure that their promising player could continue his development in a competitive European league while enhancing his chances of being selected for Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the World Cup.

Since arriving in France, Endrick has displayed glimpses of the exceptional talent that led to his signing by Madrid, having scored five goals in six appearances and providing an assist as Lyon finished atop the Europa League table and moved to third in Ligue 1.

The immediate outcome of the LFP’s ruling is that Endrick will miss Lyon’s next Ligue 1 match, specifically the highly anticipated encounter against Nice, which is crucial for European qualification.

Nevertheless, the reduced sanction allows him to return to the squad shortly thereafter. Endrick is eligible for selection for the matchup against Strasbourg the following week.

For Lyon, having their dynamic forward back so soon is a significant relief as they aim to ascend the table and conclude the season on a high note. They will need Endrick to remain focused, disciplined, and in top form. This reprieve offers him the opportunity to quickly make amends rather than languishing on the sidelines for an extended period.