Valverde questions Araujo, Dembele red cards

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Barcelona ended the game with nine men

Ernesto Valverde was not too happy with red cards for Ronald Araujo and Ousmane Dembele during Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday.

Araujo lasted just 13 minutes of his La Liga debut before being shown a straight red card for a foul on Javier Hernandez as the last man.

Meanwhile, Dembele saw red for his protests to the referee after Araujo’s dismissal. Referee Mateu Lahoz has said the Frenchman angrily gesticulated and called him “very bad.”

Valverde offered his thoughts on the two dismissals after the match.

“The referee will have his opinion on the situation, and he is entitled to his views,” he said.

”However, I am not so sure the decisions were correct in a clean game. Araujo’s sending off did not seem to be a red card, but I am not neutral in this.

”As for Dembele, I was surprised to see him sent off for making a comment to the referee. I don’t think it would have been a long comment made by him.

”Even I find it difficult to communicate to Dembele in Spanish, so I am surprised that he made a comment to the referee.”

Source | Football Espana

The two red cards mean both players will miss Barcelona’s next La Liga game following the international break against Eibar.

It is possible Dembele could face a longer ban which may also rule him out of El Clasico on October 26, although Barca may well appeal.

Source: barcablaugranes.com