Brentford striker Igor Thiago will miss three Premier League matches after the Football Association rejected an appeal against his red card.
The Brazil international’s appeal, which argued the incident was unintentional and sought a reduction in his suspension, was dismissed by the Football Association’s regulatory commission, according to BBC.
Thiago’s absence comes at a critical juncture for the club, as he will be unavailable for upcoming fixtures against Everton, Manchester United, and Arsenal. Prior to this match, the forward had been a key player for Brentford, scoring three goals and providing two assists in six games.
“We've lost two games in the league this season and both of them when we've gone down to ten men, so you need to analyse yourself first, clearly, and in both scenarios we can do better,” Brentford head coach Keith Andrews said, as reported by West London Sport.
"That is calamitous for Brentford" Igor Thiago has been SENT OFF following a VAR review 🟥 pic.twitter.com/NNcOqZjJdX
The dismissal occurred during the 23rd minute of Brentford’s 2-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. The incident began when Chema Andres fouled Thiago by grabbing the Brazilian from behind, prompting the striker to react by attempting to push Andres away. As Thiago motioned for a second time, he raised his arm and made contact with his opponent’s face, with Andres subsequently going to ground.
At the time of the sending-off, Brighton was already leading 1-0 following Diego Gómez’s stunning volley, and Pascal Gross later converted a penalty just before half-time to secure the 2-0 scoreline.
The decision sparked debate among commentators regarding the severity of the contact. Match Of The Day commentator Jonathan Pearce described the incident as “very unseemly, very unnecessary” and remarked:
“Contact sport. Come on. Game’s gone. The game has gone.”
Pearce further compared the level of contact to historical on-pitch fights, stating:
“You want to see a worthy sending-off for violent conduct? Have a look at Franny Lee and Norman Hunter, fighting on the pitch, Derby against Leeds. That was something. What we’ve just seen there was nothing, nothing, nothing.”
Pundit Leon Osman also shared his perspective on the play, noting that Andres was the one who went to ground and jumped up, and suggesting that Thiago was merely trying to brush him off rather than deliberately hit him in the head, though acknowledging the arm ultimately made its way to the chin.
While former Manchester United striker Dion Dublin suggested, “Yellow card for me, that’s it,” other officials maintained the referee had no choice.
The red card marks the third time Brentford has been reduced to 10 men in four games, leaving the Bees sitting eighth in the Premier League table going into the international break. Keith Andrews admitted that his side’s indiscipline has proved costly, noting that opposition players have managed to provoke situations and antagonize his players into aggressive reactions.
Andrews said that while the team prefers to play on the edge and he wants them to maintain that style, the recent lack of discipline and players’ reactions are currently costing the club.
Thiago is expected to return to action on 5 December against Manchester City, following the conclusion of his suspension.
