During Paris Saint-Germain’s emphatic 5–0 win over Olympique de Marseille on Sunday in Ligue 1, Vitinha narrowly escaped a red card after a dangerous tackle on Leonardo Balerdi early in the match. Ultimately only booked, the Paris midfielder saw the referee’s decision officially confirmed this Thursday by the Refereeing Technical Directorate.
Vitinha avoids suspension. The PSG midfielder keeps his yellow card, which will not be upgraded to a red. In its review, the DTA judged that the Portuguese player’s challenge, studs up on the shin, did not show enough intensity to justify a sending-off. It notably highlighted the lack of prolonged force and the withdrawal of the leg at the moment of impact, which reduced the severity of the contact. The body therefore validated the referee’s choice, considering it correct and in line with the rules.
Refereeing body confirms no red card for dangerous tackle
“The Paris player challenges with his left leg forward and his studs make contact with the Marseille player’s right shin. However, the contact is not accompanied by prolonged force and the Paris player’s leg is already retracting, which limits the physical impact. Consequently, the absence of excessive intensity in the action allows the referee to judge that a dismissal is not mandatory. The referee’s decision, particularly precise in his on-field assessment, does not constitute a clear and obvious error under the Laws of the Game,” the official statement reads.
Vitinha therefore gets away with this borderline incident, which sparked controversy during and after the match against Marseille.
