Some good news on the injury front has filtered through with reports that Vedran Corluka has not broken his ankle following the horror tackle by Mathieu Flamini on Tuesday night.
The player himself is quoted as saying: “My ankle is swollen. It hurts so much, but the doctors are saying that things are not as bad as it seems.
“Luckily nothing is broken, but I will still be out for at least four weeks.”
So Corluka may be available again in March, but this is a cruel blow for him, having just reclaimed his place at right back from Alan Hutton.
As for Flamini, UEFA have confirmed that no further action will be taken as the ref saw it and took what action he felt the assault warranted. Though it’s clear that the tackle deserved a straight red card, but UEFA are unlikely to go against one of their officials.
I am not in ageement with UEFA’s decision taking the ref’s desision to be final.They have seen the footage & both Flamini & the ref. should face suspensions. If this is written in the UEFA constitution I regret this is not acceptable to me & many others. If Spurs feel that their player’s right has been compromised by UEFA’s verdict, then they should protest it. What if Corluka’s livihood had been jeopardized by a broken ankle ?
Up to a month out does not equal ‘relatively unscathed’! Yes he could have broken his leg and frankly it’s great he hasn’t, but it’s still a very disruptive injury for both Spurs and Corluka.
The way bad tackles are punished is badly flawed and deeply unjust: we lose a player for a month, yet Milan only get punished by a yellow card, and it was all Flamini’s fault!
In fact the ‘advantage’ will only go to another team, at such time as Flamini misses a game through suspension when he next gets a yellow. Football should consider a sin-bin scenario for when bad tackles force opposition players to go off injured, but aren’t adjudged worthy of a straight red card.