Real Madrid loanee Endrick shown 'very harsh' red card as Lyon boss Paulo Fonseca makes plea to 'protect' Brazilian striker

The Brazilian teenager could have hardly wished for a better start to his loan with French giants Lyon last month when he hit the ground running with five goals and two assists in just five games. This phenomenal start was kickstarted by a hat-trick scored against Metz in just his third appearance for the side, reminding his parent club and the rest of the world just how talented he is.

The forward would have been determined to continue his impressive goalscoring form against Nantes on Saturday and help his new club keep climbing up the table, but had his game cut short when he was shown a straight red card just after an hour into the game.

With Lyon 1-0 up already through a Pavel Sulc goal, Fonseca would have hoped his players could maintain composure and see out an important victory away from home. Yet, 15 minutes into the second-half, Endrick, who was already on a yellow card, was chasing a ball and was blocked off by Dehmaine Tabibou. In frustration, the Lyon striker kicked out at the Nantes player, catching him on the ankle, and earned himself another yellow.

After a VAR consultation, the referee was advised to upgrade the second bookable offence to a straight red. The upgraded sanction will mean the Brazilian is suspended for a lengthier time and suggested that the kick-out was more severe than initially thought.

After the game, Fonseca blasted the official for what he considered to be an incredibly harsh dismissal of his young star, who he felt was fouled by Tabibou initially in the build-up to the kick. The Portuguese coach said of the red card: “For me, it was very harsh, very harsh. There was a foul before which was very clear. The Nantes player did not intend to play the ball, he intended to block Endrick.“

He continued to point to the targeting the teenager has received, with the forward facing aggressive defending, which Fonseca believes crosses a line. “The second thing I want to say is that this is the third match where the opponents have started the game with a lot of aggression towards Endrick,” he said. “I thought these things were a thing of the past, but the intention was clear.

“They really intended to intimidate Endrick. The referees must protect the talent of a player like Endrick.”

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Fonseca’s opposite number responded to the suggestions that his side were set up to target Endrick. Nantes boss Ahmed Kantari was incredulous in his dismissal of Fonseca’s claim and claimed that as it was his player that went off injured as a result of Endrick’s kick, there was no base to the claim being made.

“Endrick isn't protected enough even though he's the one who throws a punch?” Kantari exclaimed. “It's my player who goes off injured. I would have preferred that my player didn't go off injured and that my player could take the small fouls like Endrick did.

"Yes, there was a match within the match with Dehmaine Tabibou, there were double-teams with Johan Lepenant, there were defensive returns from Matthis Abline. But, of course, when you have players of this quality, you focus on blocking them and I think that today, my players did it well.”

Tabibou was stretchered off the pitch with an injury to his ankle and calf and Kantari was unsure of how long he will remain sidelined for. As for Endrick, owing to his dismissal for violent conduct, he will likely serve a lengthy ban which will see his strong momentum at Lyon stemmed temporarily. Yet, given his impressive start and Fonseca’s protection of him, it is likely that Endrick will bounce back into the starting line-up once he returns.