Matheus Cunha will avoid a further sanction from UEFA after returning to the pitch after being sent off in Manchester United’s thrilling Champions League comeback against Roma.
Cunha scored in the 83rd and 86th minutes to cap a comeback from 2-0 down for Michael Carrick’s side, but the Brazilian attacker was booked after his celebrations for the winning goal and then received a second yellow card for a foul in injury time.
He watched the final couple of minutes sat on an advertising hoarding before coming back on to the pitch to celebrate at full-time, gesturing to supporters in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and then hugging teammates.
Carrick waved Cunha off the pitch when he saw him and the 27-year-old was then escorted down the tunnel after he had spent several seconds applauding the Stretford End.
Despite Carrick’s concern about Cunha coming back on the pitch at full-time, UEFA won’t be taking the matter any further and his ban will remain at one game, meaning he will miss the trip to Sporting later this month.
A UEFA spokesperson said: “The UEFA official reports did not mention anything about this incident. Therefore the automatic one-match ban following two yellow cards should not be extended for this reason. We are not investigating further this matter.”
Carrick said afterwards that he was “disappointed” at the dismissal of an emotional Cunha, but praised the impact he had on the game.
“Matheus can do them things, he’s got them moments,” the United head coach said.
“We put him inside, we swapped him with Bran at half-time to try and get him in the middle of the pitch, try and give us a little bit of different shape, and put him in the centre of the pitch, and he found himself in good positions.
“Disappointed with how it finished, but again just shows how much he cares and willing to do, and when he’s in that frame of mind, he’s in that mood and he plays like that, that’s what we want from him.”
Manchester Evening News
