The English Football Association have decided against charging Marcos Rojo for the stamp he administered to Eden Hazard’s chest in the latter stages of Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup quarterfinal Monday night. Yes, this is real.
Manchester United charged by FA but Marcos Rojo in clear over ‘stamp’ https://t.co/HZ1d8Gd32A via @guardian_sport
— The Guardian (@guardian) March 14, 2017
The FA’s reasoning amounts to the usual nonsense about referee Michael Oliver having “seen” the incident but deciding not to do anything about it. And yet, over three years ago the rules were changed specifically to allow The FA leeway to charge players in such obvious instances.
This enables The FA to consider acts of violent conduct, like an elbow or a stamp, which have occurred after a challenge for the ball or coming together of players.
-Darren Bailey, FA Director of Governance, Nov 2013
Except in this obvious case, for whatever reason, regardless of Mr. Oliver may or may not have seen. What a joke.
Rojo stamp on Hazard...@FA must review...#MCFC #LFC #CFC #CHEMUN #FACup #chelsea #manunited #Pogba #MUFC pic.twitter.com/RpIe6rEcVC
— Πίτερ (@CyprusPete) March 13, 2017
Manchester United did get charged with failing to control their players after surrounding and barracking the referee in the 35th minute following Ander Herrera’s quite justified red card.