Real Madrid loanee Endrick learns extent of ban after red card for Lyon against Nantes

Lyon forward Endrick has escaped a lengthy suspension after the Ligue 1 disciplinary authorities opted to show leniency regarding his sending off against Nantes. The Brazilian international, currently on loan from Real Madrid, was facing a potential three-match ban after being shown a straight red card by the referee in the second half of Lyon's 1-0 win.

However, following a meeting of the LFP Disciplinary Committee on Wednesday, the decision was taken to rescind the straight red card. After reviewing the match footage and taking into account the referee's post-match report - which advocated for a reclassification of the incident - the committee downgraded the punishment to a second yellow card.

Consequently, Endrick will now serve a mandatory one-match suspension rather than the extended ban reserved for violent conduct. 

"After viewing the images and reading the referee's report proposing to withdraw the red card, the Disciplinary Committee decided to withdraw the red card and replace it with a second yellow card, resulting in exclusion," a statement from the LFP said.

"Thus, the commission imposes a one-match suspension."

The incident occurred in the 61st minute of a tightly contested affair at the Groupama Stadium. With Lyon holding a slender 1-0 lead, frustrations boiled over when Endrick tangled with Nantes midfielder Dehmaine Tabibou. In a moment of irritation, the 19-year-old appeared to kick out at his opponent while the ball was gone, prompting the referee to immediately brandish the red card.

At the time, the dismissal looked set to cost Lyon dear, leaving them with 10 men for the final half-hour of the match, a decision coach Paulo Fonseca disagreed with, saying afterwards: "For me, it was very harsh, very harsh. There was a very clear foul before the incident. The Nantes player didn't intend to play the ball, he intended to block Endrick."

Fortunately for the hosts, they managed to dig deep and hold onto their advantage to secure a 12th consecutive win in all competitions through Pavel Sulc's first-half strike.

Endrick’s move to Lyon was designed to provide the playing time that was proving elusive at the Santiago Bernabeu. With Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo dominating the forward positions in the Spanish capital, the youngster was unable to break into the team under Xabi Alonso, making just two appearances under the coach following his return from injury. Just before Alonso was sacked, Madrid sanctioned the January loan to ensure their prodigy continued his development in a competitive European league while boosting the player's chances of making Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the World Cup.

Since arriving in France, Endrick has shown flashes of the brilliance that convinced Madrid to sign him, having scored five goals in six games and registering an assist as Lyon finished top of the Europa League table and climbed to third in Ligue 1. 

The immediate consequence of the LFP's ruling is that Endrick will be absent for Lyon’s upcoming Ligue 1 fixture. He will sit out the highly anticipated clash against Nice, a match that carries significant weight in the battle for European qualification places.

However, the reduced sanction means he will be available for selection almost immediately after. Endrick is eligible to return to the squad for the match against Strasbourg the following week.

For Lyon, having their dynamic forward back so quickly is a relief. As they look to climb the table and finish the season strongly, they will need Endrick focused, disciplined, and firing on all cylinders. The reprieve gives him a chance to make amends quickly, rather than stewing on the sidelines for a month.