Brazilian winger Antony said he has struggled to sleep since his straight red card for kicking an opponent in the face during Real Betis’s draw with Girona FC, calling the incident “a completely unintentional move.”
According to a report from GOAL, former Manchester United winger Antony has opened up about how troubled he now feels following his red card in the stoppage time of Real Betis’s 1–1 draw with Girona.
The incident occurred when he attempted an overhead kick in the Girona penalty area; his boot instead struck defender Joel Roca in the face.
Initially shown a yellow card, the referee – after a VAR review – upgraded the decision to a straight red.
Antony took to social media soon after the game to apologise to Betis supporters. “Very sad about the red card. All I wanted was to help my team win,” he wrote.
“A completely unintentional move … sorry to all the fans that have always supported me.”
Speaking later about the personal toll the dismissal has taken, he admitted:
“It was very hard to sleep. I stayed at home thinking all night, I slept very little.” He insisted he had “no intention” to hurt Roca, and added that Betis will attempt to appeal the card.
The red card will rule him out of the upcoming derby against Sevilla FC — a major blow for Betis.
Meanwhile, supporters and coach Manuel Pellegrini will now wait to see if the club’s appeal is successful, allowing the former United man a faster return to action.