Unai Emery, the head coach of Aston Villa, has confirmed that the club will appeal the red card handed to Jhon Duran during their 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Boxing Day. The dismissal, which left Villa playing with 10 men for over an hour, came after Duran was shown a straight red card for allegedly kicking Newcastle’s Fabian Schar during the first half at St James' Park.
The match, which ended in a comprehensive victory for Newcastle, saw Villa fall to 12th place in the Premier League standings, with the hosts climbing to fifth. Duran's red card, given in the 11th minute of the game, has been a point of contention for Villa, with Emery leading the charge to contest the decision. Duran's sending off made him the youngest player to be dismissed on Boxing Day since Wayne Rooney in 2002.
Emery expressed his belief that the red card was an unjust decision, stating that the three-match suspension was particularly harsh. "Of course, we will appeal," Emery said when asked about contesting the decision. "Three matches because of this red card is hard to accept. You can watch the video; the footage was not clear. It’s difficult to understand why the decision was made, and we will take the necessary steps to appeal it."
Villa defender Ezri Konsa also weighed in on the impact of the red card on their performance. "We conceded early, and that’s demoralizing," said Konsa. "Then the red card happens, and that’s tough. We tried to defend well at times, but when you’re down to 10 men for so long, it’s difficult to stop Newcastle from creating chances."
While the red card significantly hindered Villa’s chances in the match, Emery was quick to stress the importance of fairness in officiating decisions and highlighted Duran’s commitment to improving his game. “We are trying to teach him and guide him in the right way, and he is putting in the effort,” Emery said. "Maybe the reason why the card was given is because it was Jhon Duran, but we need to keep working and learn from this."
Konsa, reflecting on the match, admitted that Duran’s absence forced Villa into a more defensive approach for the remainder of the game. "From where I was, it looked like Jhon Duran couldn’t move properly after the challenge," Konsa said. "It’s always tough playing with 10 men, especially against a strong team like Newcastle."
Despite the defeat, both Emery and Konsa emphasized that Villa must learn from the experience and look ahead to their upcoming fixtures. "We have to focus on the next games," Emery concluded. "It’s important to stay positive and look to improve for the future."
Aston Villa now face the task of preparing for their upcoming matches without Duran, who will serve a three-match suspension if the red card is upheld. The team will be hoping for a successful appeal, which could see Duran return to action sooner than expected. Meanwhile, Villa will need to regroup and perform better in future encounters, starting with their next set of Premier League fixtures.
