Melbourne Victory midfielder Jordi Valadon has received a one-game ban after his Round 18 red card, after Football Australia’s Independent Match Review Panel (MRP) dismissed the club’s Obvious Error Application.
Valdon was one of seven players and staff to have their respective suspensions upheld after Round 18 of the Isuzu UTE A-League season, including Perth Glory head coach Alen Stajcic who will serve a touchline ban for his side’s meeting with Western United in Ballarat having collected his fifth yellow card of the season.
Valadon’s dismissal in Victory’s 1-0 loss to Central Coast Mariners in Round 18 was one of three incidents reviewed by the MRP; Victory appealed Valadon’s 90th-minute red card – which was only given after a VAR check – and despite FA stating the application was “not frivolous” the MRP ultimately decided to uphold the decision and confirmed a one-match ban.
For Victory’s application to be successful, the MRP would have needed to determine that Valadon’s red card was issued when:
A) No card was warranted at all, and/or
B) There was no obvious goalscoring opportunity
After reviewing all the facts and broadcast footage the MRP considered and dismissed the application, determining Valadon had committed the offence of “Denying the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, as prescribed in Law 12 of the Laws of the Game’.”
Valadon received a one-game ban and will miss Victory’s Round 19 clash with Brisbane Roar.
Adelaide United winger Ben Halloran and Mariners forward Ronald Barcellos both received one-game bans after red cards in Round 18 fixtures against Western Sydney and Victory respectively.
The MRP confirmed both Halloran and Barcellos had committed “Serious foul play (e.g. when challenging for the ball)’.“
Victory centre-back Roderick Miranda will miss one match after receiving an indirect card for two yellow card offences against the Mariners – as will Central Coast striker Alou Kuol and Luke Brattan who both collected their fifth yellow cards of the season in Round 18.
Brattan will miss Sydney FC’s showdown with the Wanderers in the Sydney Derby in Round 19.
