Why did Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez receive a red card?

Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez was shown a red card for violent conduct by referee David Gantar in the 82nd minute of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Montreal after a confrontation with Victor Wanyama.

Watch the incident here:

Credit: MLS

To summarize: Wanyama attempts to stop Martinez from reaching a ball as Montreal goalkeeper James Pantemis makes a save.

Martinez steps over Pantemis and is in Montreal’s goal. Wanyama follows him and the two square up, chest to chest.

Martinez pushes away Wanyama by putting his hands to his chest. By the laws of the game, that could have resulted in a yellow card. A yellow card for “unsporting behavior” is not consistently given in those situations by officials around the world but is a violation of the rules.

Martinez then leans into Wanyama’s chin with his head.

Wanyama responds by putting his hands around Martinez’s neck. By the laws of the game, that action is a straight red card.

From FIFA’s Laws of the Game: “Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.

“In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.”

Martinez responds by pushing away Wanyama, which could be considered another yellow card and therefore a red-card offense. From the Laws of the Game: “Where two separate cautionable offences are committed (even in close proximity), they should result in two cautions.” Again, it would be weak but it does violate the rules.

However, during this push, Martinez’s hand strikes Wanyama in the face.

Because it is hands to the face, and doesn’t appear to be negligible, Martinez received a red card.

The Laws of the Game don’t make any accommodations for situation, such as Martinez being backed into the goal, or the fact that the two were already going at each other.

However, there is this axiom in the first pages of the Laws: “The Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the ‘spirit’ of the game – this often involves asking the question, ‘what would football want/expect?’”

That gray area may be why many Atlanta United supporters are upset about the red card given to Martinez.

There also was confusion because Gantar raised a yellow card to each player before showing each a red card. That action was signifying that his first call of yellow cards were incorrect and that he was changing his decisions to red cards.

Atlanta United interim manager Rob Valentino declined to comment on the referee decision, saying to do so only would get him into trouble.

Atlanta United, winless in its past 12, can appeal the red card. It already has successfully appealed one red card given to Jake Mulraney.

Atlanta United will play at Columbus on Saturday.

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