Olympiacos’ Yassine Benzia sets unwanted Champions League record

When he was sent-off in the Legend’s defeat to the Red-Whites, the Algerian hit a mark that he would rather have not

Yassine Benzia joined an exclusive but undesirable club in Olympiacos’ 3-1 defeat to Red Stars Belgrade on Tuesday.

In his second Champions League game, the midfielder was dismissed for a second caution at the Rajko Mitic Stadium.

Following his debut as a substitute in the Greek side’s 2-2 against Tottenham Hotspur, manager Pedro Martins named him in his starting XI against the Serbians.

However, he lasted just for 58 minutes as referee Benoit Bastien showed him the way out – thus seeing Olympiacos end the fixture with 10 men.

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In the process, he became the eighth different player to be shown a red card for Olympiacos in the Champions League, and first since both Olof Mellberg and Matt Derbyshire were sent off against Bordeaux in March 2010.

Goals from Milos Vulic, Nemanja Milunovic, and Richmond Boakye powered the Serbians to victory despite Ruben Semedo’s opener.