Trabzonspor defender Chibuike Nwaiwu has received support from former FIFA referee Mustafa Çulcu after his controversial dismissal in the club’s UEFA Europa League play off defeat to Ferencvaros.
The Nigerian centre back was shown a straight red card deep into stoppage time as Trabzonspor suffered a 1-0 defeat at home on Thursday night.
Nwaiwu was dismissed in the 90th minute of the first leg after an incident involving Ferencvaros substitute Lisztes. The decision immediately became a talking point, with the defender appearing visibly frustrated as he left the pitch.
However, Çulcu believes the red card was not justified.
The former FIFA official argued that there was an earlier foul in the build up to the incident which should have been taken into consideration before the referee decided to send Nwaiwu off.
Çulcu described the challenge involving Nwaiwu as not worthy of a red card and questioned the overall handling of the situation.
The dismissal came at a particularly difficult moment for Trabzonspor, who were already trailing after Kristoffer Zachariassen gave Ferencvaros the lead in the 17th minute.
Nwaiwu had started the match at the heart of Trabzonspor’s defence and remained on the pitch until the closing stages before being sent off.
The 22 year old defender has established himself as an important option for Trabzonspor since joining the Turkish club and has continued to attract attention because of his physical presence and defensive qualities.
His dismissal could now become an additional concern for Trabzonspor ahead of the second leg, particularly if UEFA confirms a suspension following the straight red card.
The Turkish side will need to overturn the one goal deficit in the return fixture if they are to progress to the Europa League group stage, while Nwaiwu’s availability will depend on the outcome of the disciplinary process.
The backing from a former FIFA referee provides some encouragement after what was a frustrating end to an otherwise committed performance.
With the red card already generating debate in Turkey, attention will now turn to whether Nwaiwu receives a suspension and whether Trabzonspor can recover from the first leg defeat in the return fixture.
