Juventus midfielder Emre Can has issued an apology, after his reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo's red card last night saw him being labeled as sexist.
The Portuguese forward saw red on his Champions League debut after appearing to pull the hair of an opponent, with the referee's punishment deemed extremely harsh by most commentators.
The former Liverpool man was shown footage of the incident directly after the match, and had this to say:
That’s supposed to be a red!?
I just heard that he said it was because of hair pulling. We’re not women, we’re playing football.
If you’re giving that as a red card, you can be sent off for any foul. One hundred per cent, that is not a red card.
Many have come out to criticise the player's reaction, deeming his comments as sexist. Emre Can has chosen to respond to the criticism, issuing an apology on Twitter.
I would like to take a moment to clear the air regarding comments I made after last nights game.
Please read the full statement below⤵️
Yours
Emre pic.twitter.com/SLvdF6qf33— Emre Can (@emrecan_) September 20, 2018
While it is unlikely that there will be much more made of Can's remarks, the fallout from the red card has continued.
Cristiano Ronaldo is not able to appeal the decision, meaning a one game ban will see him miss the next Champions League fixture against Young Boys. There is a possibility that UEFA could hand down a harsher punishment to the player, although it is unlikely they will do so. The player will likely be available to face his former club Manchester United on October 23rd.
