Thomas Tuchel has stated that Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is a ‘good guy’ and a ‘brilliant’ player, as he told BBC Sport.
The Chelsea boss was making reference to whether Mane should have been sent off for Liverpool on Sunday at Stamford Bridge – and he think he did.
After only six seconds, Mane was shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor for an elbow in the face of Cesar Azpilicueta.
There were many, from the Chelsea side, that felt that Mane should have seen a straight red for his actions.
But clearly, the on-field referee and VAR disagreed, as Mane stayed on the pitch and ended up opening the scoring during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against their Premier League title rivals.
Whilst Tuchel was praising the man on the left side of Liverpool’s ranks, he also thought he shouldn’t have been on the pitch.
“In the first game we got the red card and the referee was so quick to give the red card,” said Tuchel.
“They did not check it, I hate to say it normally as I don’t like a red card early in the game, it can kill it. The public are here to see 11v11.
“Sadio Mane should always be on the pitch because he is a brilliant player and a good guy but it is a red card.
“If you don’t check and then can check our goal and maybe take it away… it is hard to swallow but what can we do?”
Liverpool will now be without Mane, as well as Mo Salah, for a number of weeks because they are going to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Hours after Mane was sticking the ball past Chelsea goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, at the Bridge, the duo were on a plane together ready to represent their country.
Senegal are one of the favourites to win the tournament outright and the above duo are big reasons behind that.
But it could be argued that Egypt, with Salah in their ranks, and Algeria, who are going to be captained by Riyad Mahrez, are ahead on that favourites list.
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