5 hours ago
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Rico Lewis has been slapped with a further two-match ban for his sending off in Manchester City’s opening game of the Club World Cup.
Lewis saw red after clashing with Wydad AC’s Samuel Obeng in the 88th minute of City’s 2-0 victory in Philadelphia.
The 20-year-old won the ball cleanly with a sliding tackle before accidentally catching Obeng in the chin with his boot.
Pep Guardiola branded the red card as ‘unnecessary’ by Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti, whose “ref cam” footage suggested he hadn’t seen the whole incident.
The decision was upheld after a VAR review and Lewis was handed a one-match suspension, served during the 6-0 win over Al Ain in Atlanta.
But FIFA have deemed that the serious foul play is worthy of additional punishment and Lewis will now miss the crunch final group game against Juventus as well as City’s last 16 clash.
Rico Lewis was dismissed late in the game after he caught Samuel Obeng with his follow through and he has now been banned for two more games
Pep Guardiola expressed his frustration and insisted there was no intent to hurt the opponent
The City defender appeared to catch Obeng in the face and he received a straight red card
City were unsuccessful when appealing the extension of the suspension.
‘The referee thought the leg was a little bit high, but he (Lewis) was on the grass, he touched the ball,’ Guardiola said last week.
‘For the speed they go to touch the ball. Rico had no intention, he is a person who never has an intention to hurt anyone.
‘It was unnecessary, honestly, the red card, but the referee had a different opinion and he's the boss. They checked VAR, so we accept it.’
