Monaco, Feb 13 (AP) Monaco midfielder Al Musrati got a harsh-looking red card from referee Maurizio Mariani early in the second half of a Champions League playoff first leg against Benfica on Wednesday.

Monaco was trailing at the time to a goal from striker Vangelis Pavlidis and ended up losing the game 1-0.

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Mariani showed him a second yellow card and sent him off in the 52nd minute, seemingly because Musrati appeared to contest his decision after Alvaro Carreras had fouled Monaco striker Breel Embolo. He pushed Embolo to the ground from behind when they jostled for the ball and a foul was given to Monaco.

Television replays showed that Musrati quickly wagged his right hand as if to demand a yellow card — which in itself is grounds for a yellow card.

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Musrati did not appear aggressive or even to say much at all, but within one second Mariani had brandished the second yellow and ordered him off — much to the despair of the Libya international.

Monaco coach Adi Hütter was upset by the decision, saying that Musrati had acted calmly, and also by a late yellow card shown to captain Denis Zakaria — thus ruling him out of the return leg next Tuesday.

“I didn't see him walk to the referee. The only thing what he said maybe was It could be a yellow card,'” Hütter said. “Yes these are the rules we have to accept, but he was not aggressive right? And when you see the second yellow card of Zakaria, he is suspended. These are harsh yellow cards.”

Monaco left back Krépin Diatta also felt the red card was unfair.

“I think everyone saw for themselves," he said. “He wasn't angry and he was calm toward the referee. Sometimes it's too severe.” (AP) AM

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)