Account
Real Madrid's Luka Modric: Red Card Foul on Denis Suarez Was 'Accidental Action'
August 18, 2019
Luka Modric said the challenge on Denis Suarez that earned him a red card in Real Madrid's 3-1 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday was "accidental."
The Croat was sent off after he caught Suarez's heel with his studs in the 57th minute, and he took to Twitter to explain the foul was not intentional:
Per Goal's Jamie Smith, he said: "Sent off for an accidental action. In life I would never intentionally make such an action on a player. Totally involuntary!"
Modric was handed his marching orders after the referee reviewed the challenge via the video assistant referee screen.
Los Blancos captain Sergio Ramos defended his team-mate but accepted the decision, per Smith:
"Everything used to protect football is good.
"Today the decision was against us. We ended up with one less man, I don't think Modric went in with bad intention but he arrived late and the referee had doubts.
"He spoke to the other officials and reached that decision. VAR's there to help us and if these decisions protect football then they are welcome."
AS' Robbie Dunne, ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan and sports journalist Jonas Giaever all felt a red card was harsh on the playmaker:
The 33-year-old is not accustomed to being sent off, as OptaJose demonstrated:
Those are the only two red cards of his career—for club or country.
Given Modric's game is based on his use of the ball in midfield rather than his ability to win it back for his side, it's perhaps not too surprising he's avoided disciplinary issues for the majority of his career.
He will be suspended for Madrid's match against Real Valladolid on Saturday as a result of the red card.
Although neither is a like-for-like replacement, Real boss Zinedine Zidane can call upon Isco or James Rodriguez—who started against Celta on the bench—to fill in.
While they perhaps don't offer as much control in the centre as the veteran, both are capable of making match-winning contributions.