The Sheffield Wednesday forward received a red card for violent conduct against Preston.
Carlos Carvalhal explained during Thursday’s media conference – broadcast via the club’s Facebook page – why Sheffield Wednesday have chosen not to appeal the three-match ban given to Fernando Forestieri.
The Italian was shown a straight red card for violent conduct during Saturday’s 2-1 win against Preston North End, having lashed out at Ben Pearson.
Consequently, the Owls will be without their top scorer for the upcoming visit to third-place Reading, along with the South Yorkshire derbies against Barnsley and Rotherham United next week.
And Forestieri’s absence could have easily stretched to cover Wednesday’s Boxing Day trip to league leaders Newcastle United, according to Carvalhal.
Asked if he had considered appealing the forward’s suspension, the Portuguese replied: “No.
“We ask and they said you have a big chance that if you appeal then Fernando don’t take three games, he will be with four. So we didn’t do appeal, of course, because we don’t want to stay without Fernando for four games.”
It would have been particularly ironic Forestieri been forced to miss the Newcastle game due to a failed appeal, given that the Magpies this week had two red cards overturned – one of which was also awarded for violent conduct.
Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett were both dismissed during Friday’s 2-1 defeat for Rafael Benitez’s side at Nottingham Forest, but the pair have since been cleared to face Birmingham City this weekend.
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