Juventus and Francisco Conceicao are anxiously awaiting the sports judge’s official statement to learn the duration of the player’s suspension following Sunday’s incident against Cagliari.
Tuttosport (via IlBianconero) report how the “simulation” episode has been widely recognized as a refereeing error and a mistaken decision by Marinelli. Andrea Gervasoni, the deputy designator, commented on Open VAR, “In my opinion, the error in this match is the second yellow card for simulation. The player falls after being touched, not in a punishable manner as it wasn’t a penalty, but we believe the simulation call was an excessive measure.”
Conceicao will miss the upcoming match against Lazio due to the double yellow card. However, as Tuttosport detail, the suspension could be extended based on the Portuguese player’s reaction after receiving the second yellow card for simulation and subsequent red card. His body language seemed to convey more desperation than anger, with protests but no apparent insults. The official announcement will provide clarity on the matter.
Despite the acknowledgment of Marinelli’s error by refereeing authorities, it seems unlikely that Juventus will appeal Conceicao’s suspension, especially if it’s limited to one match. In Italy, there’s no precedent for reducing or overturning suspensions in similar cases. This contrasts with the Premier League, where the Football Association recently annulled Bruno Fernandes’ three-match ban following an unjust expulsion.
