LIVERPOOL ace Kostas Tsimikas and three Greece team-mates were left out of Gus Poyet’s squad after an unbelievable blunder.
Tsimikas, Trabzonspor’s Dimitris Kourbelis, AEK Athens’ Petros Mantalos and Cardiff ace Manolis Siopis were all booked during Thursday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands.
Liverpool ace Kostas Tsimikas was left out of Greece after a massive gaffeReuters
Tsimikas was booked in Greece’s Euro 2024 qualifier against the NetherlandsRex
Cardiff ace Manolis Siopis was also left out because EPO thought he was suspendedRex
EPO thought Petros Mantalos was suspended after two yellow cardsRex
But Dimitris Kourbelis and co would have been suspended after a third yellow cardRex
That led to an embarrassing blunder from the Greek football association [EPO] as well as the national team’s chiefs who thought those players weren’t allowed to play against Gibraltar on Sunday.
However, that was only their second booking and UEFA rules dictate that a player or team official can only receive a one-match ban after three consecutive yellow cards.
It is during the Euro 2024 finals that two yellow cards lead to the respective suspension.
Article 54.02 reads: “In case of repeated cautions:
“A: In the qualifying competition, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, as well as after the fifth and any subsequent caution.
“B: In the final tournament, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after two cautions, as well as after the fourth caution.”
EPO took full responsibility of the error and confirmed they will deal with the matter within the “coming days”.
The governing body, which is presided by Takis Baltakos, went on to claim there was no “practical consequence” after that error as Greece went on to beat Gibraltar 5-0 at OPAP Arena.
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EPO’s statement read: “As per recent reports referring to an error in the counting of yellow cards and by extension the punishment of international footballers, EPO announces the following:
“This is an undeniable mistake, as admitted by Kostas Konstantinidis, technical director and head of all the National Teams, and Takis Fyssas, sporting director of the Men’s National Team, although this mistake had no practical consequence.
“The Administration will investigate the issue, taking into account the overall contribution of each player to Greek football and their special contribution to the National Team, and will decide on the course of action in the coming days.”
Liverpool ace Tsimikas, Siopis, Kourbelis and Mantalos are expected to be in action again in the next international break.