João Pedro narrowly avoided a red card and potential suspension following a controversial incident during Brighton’s 0-0 draw against Brentford on Friday night.
The event took place in the second half, when Pedro, visibly frustrated by Yehor Yarmolyuk’s constant shirt and shoulder pulls as he attempted to break free, responded by stopping and swinging his right elbow in an aggressive manner.
Although Pedro’s elbow narrowly missed Yarmolyuk, it was still enough to catch the attention of referee Andy Madley. Madley immediately stopped the play and issued Yarmolyuk a yellow card for the incident.
However, the controversy stemmed from the fact that there was no further action taken against Pedro. VAR referee Chris Kavanagh conducted a review of the situation but decided not to overturn Madley’s decision, deeming that the original call was not a “clear and obvious error.” This left many questioning whether the decision was correct, especially given the severity of the actions involved.
Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, was outspoken in his disagreement after the match. He expressed his frustration, saying, “I’ve seen it, and I think it’s a red card. You can’t swing your arm like that—it’s like trying to punch someone.
Whether it connects or not, if I understand the laws, it’s a red card.” Frank added that while he acknowledged the difficulty of making every decision correctly, this one, in his view, deserved a more severe penalty. His remarks highlighted the confusion and dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled.
In response to the controversy, the Premier League Match Centre released an official statement. It provided further clarification regarding the incident, stating that the referee’s decision not to issue a red card to João Pedro was thoroughly checked by VAR.
The statement emphasized that VAR had reviewed the situation and confirmed that the referee’s original decision not to penalize Pedro was not “clearly and obviously wrong,” thus no further action was taken.
Despite this explanation, many, including Frank, felt that the lack of a red card was a serious oversight. The incident has sparked a renewed debate about the consistency of officiating in the Premier League and the role of VAR in such key decisions.
The fact that a player could escape punishment for what appeared to be an aggressive act has left fans and managers questioning whether the rules are being applied fairly, and if changes need to be made to avoid similar incidents in the future.
