Swans boss Matos defends Stamenic over red card
Vitor Matos defends Marko Stamenic after the midfielder's sending off during Swansea City's defeat at Birmingham City.
Swansea City manager Vitor Matos has defended midfielder Marko Stamenic following his red card during their loss to Birmingham City. Stamenic received the dismissal in the 26th minute for a heavy tackle on Ethan Laird. Birmingham City capitalized on the early red card, scoring twice to take the lead and win the match. Matos suggested that Stamenic's challenge did not involve contact with the player he tackled, the ball, and therefore the referee's decision to send him off was at his discretion.
Stamenic faces a three-match ban, which could see him miss upcoming matches against West Brom, Middlesbrough, and Cardiff City. Swansea's head coach emphasized that such a harsh red card is rare and unfair, especially when other challenges often result in injuries. The game was also marred by crowd disturbances, with Swansea goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux reporting missiles being thrown from the stands.
Matos reaffirmed his commitment to the team, stating that despite the recent struggles, they will return to their previous standards.
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