FARKE BACKS HIS BAD BOY

Buendia red card was harsh says boss Star Game

- Andy Hunter

DANIEL Farke had sympathy for Emi Buendia as he re-flected on a frustrating afternoon for his high-flying side.

Emi Buendia was sent off for the fourth time in his Norwich City career as they were held by Middlesbrough at Carrow Road.

So often the Canaries’ star player this season, Buendia was shown a second yellow card for a needless lunge on George Saville, leaving the leaders to play the final quarter of the game with 10 men.

“The sending-off was of course not necessary but it feels harsh on him and also unfair,” said Farke.

“Emi gets so many tackles against him, so many hits, and has to handle much pain during a game. So for him to be sent off feels very harsh, especially in a game where elbows were in the air – there is a fear Max Aarons has a broken nose from an elbow against him.

“For the second yellow card he is perhaps 0.1 second too late and the experienced opponent makes a bit more out of it than was in it.

“It is harsh because it was not a tactical foul, there was no bad intention and there was no danger of a big injury.