Valverde: I don't think it was an act of aggression, not at all

Valverde: I don't think it was an act of aggression, not at all

Ernesto Valverde, entrenador del Barcelona
Ernesto Valverde, entrenador del Barcelona | Efe

The Barça coach was not sure Lenglet should have been sent off

Ernesto Valverde defended Clement Lenglet after the centre-back was sent off on his first league start for Barcelona against Girona. 

Lenglet was dismissed following a VAR review after catching Pere Pons with an elbow when Barça led 1-0 in the first half. 

Valverde felt the decision was harsh as his Barça side went on to draw 2-2, dropping their first points of the season. 

"The red card conditioned the game and we were unfortunate to concede at the end of the first half," the coach said. 

"But the sending off changed things a lot, we weren’t able to come back (and win). I’ve not seen it back on television. There’s a coming together, of course, and it seems (Lenglet’s) elbow has caught him.

"But it must be the first red card in which the player who’s on the end of the foul has apologised as Pons did to Lenglet.

"I suppose justice was done with VAR but I have the feeling that it’s not a red card. It’s possible there’s an impact. I don’t think it was an act of aggression, though, not at all. It’s a foul by [Pons]." 

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