Ghana captain Andre Ayew has spoken out about the controversial red card incident that marred his debut for French Ligue 1 side Le Havre against Nantes on Sunday.
Ayew was dismissed for what was deemed dangerous play just two minutes 30 seconds after he was introduced as a substitute in the 0-0 draw.
In an interview with the media, Ayew expressed his frustration with the referee’s decision, saying, “Yes, it’s true that it’s soccer, it’s soccer. I think that with enough experience, you can take a step back from situations, but I’m pretty calm after seeing the images again.”
Ayew then went on to explain his side of the story, detailing the events leading up to the red card. “In terms of the game, in terms of the action, what I interpret is here he comes, there’s a ball in thirty-fifty-fifty that’s really being played between the two of them. He throws himself, he throws himself before me, I see him throw himself, he’s going to get the ball before me, I lift my foot, trying to hold it back and on the way to land I brush against his shin guard. And that’s it, that was the referee’s decision.”
Ayew maintained that he did not intend to harm the opposing player, emphasising that his actions were merely an attempt to win the ball. Despite the setback, Ayew remains optimistic about his future with Le Havre.
The 33-year-old is set to miss Le Havre’s next three games including Sunday’s big clash against PSG at the Stade Océane.