Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic has been banned by UEFA for 4 games after he was sent off for making contact with FC Basel player Behrang Safari’s face as he ran passed him. The ban will make Markovic ineligible to play against Besiktas home and away, plus the round of 16 matches, if Liverpool progress.
UEFA disciplinary committee deemed a 4-match ban to be fair for the offence Markovic committed in the final group game of the Champions League. The game finished in a 1-1 draw which eliminated Liverpool from Champions League competition, with Markovic only playing 16 minutes of the tie before being given his marching orders by referee Björn Kuipers to the dismay of an enraged Anfield crowd.
Many pundits believed that Markovic could expect a one match suspension and it came as a surprise when the club learned of the four games that the winger will miss for the Reds. Markovic was so shocked that he took to Twitter to emphasise his amazement at the ban. His tweet simply read “4?” with a picture of him during that match.
The question could be asked if Markovic received such a large ban because he had been sent off for violent conduct while he was at Benfica last season. During the Europa League semi-final second leg against Juventus, Markovic was sent off for fighting with opponent Mirko Vučinić. Markovic had been substituted when the fight began with Vučinić while he was on the substitute bench. The fight resulted in Markovic missing the final of the Europa League, and being suspended for Liverpool’s opening Champions League group games.
Markovic and Liverpool cannot appeal the decision set down by the UEFA disciplinary committee because, unlike almost every other football association in Europe, red cards and suspensions can only be appealed on the basis of mistaken identity in European competition. In a world of democracy with checks and balances, it seems odd that UEFA cannot and will not accept responsibility when their referees get a decision wrong.
Looking at other cases of violent conduct in other domestic leagues you will see again and again players rightfully winning appeals, or being punished retrospectively. Take the case of Chelsea’s Diego Costa during the League Cup semi-final. Costa was not punished during the game for stamping on the legs of Emre Can and Martin Škrtel but did receive a three match ban retrospectively by the English FA. Surely stamping is worst than Markovic touching the face of Behrang Safari as he ran behind him?
In La Liga Real Madrid forward, and Balon D’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, was given a two match ban for punching and kicking Córdoba defender Edimar during a league match. Ronaldo was punished during the game in the form of a red card and then his case was reviewed by league officials that adjudged that a two game ban was fair.
The problem is not the 4 game ban. The problem is that UEFA has no way to properly determine the severity of offences. UEFA must set up a committee that will look at each case on an individual basis. They must enforce sensible bans for offences. Stamping on an opponent should be a three-game ban. Touching a player on his face should not be punished more harshly. Physically fighting with the opposition should be a four-game ban and anything less than that should be given a lesser punishment.
Perhaps UEFA should drop their own disciplinary committee and rely on a members of Football Associations from a single nation. Using a neutral football association that has no involvement in the case will give a fairer assessment, they cannot therefore be the football association of either club involved or be the home football association of the player. In the case of Markovic, the Scottish FA could have been given the case and then the time to judge the offence, if the sending off was correct and then the severity of the altercation. From there the club of the player who is being punished will be able to appeal to the FA that has dished out the punishment with UEFA overseeing all of the process.
It should not be this hard to get decisions correct in 2015, UEFA need to be able to judge if the incident was intensional like in the cases of Costa and Ronaldo and especially look at incidents, like Markovic’s, when intentions are not as black and white. They must also get away from being conned by players that roll over and over time and time again by the slightest touch. In all, UEFA must catch up with the rest of the football world in punishment, accountability and most of all there must be a route of appeal for all suspensions. Being the judge, jury and executioner is not fair to clubs, players or fans.
