Dan Burn has defended former Newcastle teammate Miguel Almiron after the Paraguayan became the first player sent off at the World Cup for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent. Burn insisted the 32-year-old's action was not intentional but rather a force of habit.
Almiron's Red Card Incident
During Paraguay's 1-0 victory over Turkey, Almiron put his hand over his mouth while speaking to Turkey's Mert Muldur. Muldur immediately alerted the match official, and after a VAR check, referee Ivan Barton showed Almiron a red card. Paraguay maintained their lead and secured the win despite being reduced to ten men.
Burn's Comments on the Sending Off
Speaking at a media conference, Burn said: "We had the referees' meeting and they spoke about it [players covering their mouths], that it was going to be a red card offence. Obviously I know Miggy personally, so I'd like to think that... I think it's more habit with Miggy. I've seen him do that a lot over the years in games and I do think it's one of those things where, because it's become such like a 'Stop, that's not happening.' It's going to take a little while for some players to get used to that. But as I said, I think the refs have spoken about [it], we had a referees meeting so everyone knew the rules, so it wasn't a massive surprise. But it is still obviously something that's quite hard to get out of the habit of doing."
Paraguay Coach's Reaction
Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro did not criticise the new rule. He revealed that Almiron apologised to his teammates for the dismissal but said the incident brought out their 'fighting spirit.' Alfaro stated: "According to the law, if you cover your mouth you're sent off. Red card. There's nothing I can do about that. Unfortunately, we can't issue a new opinion on this. [Almiron] apologised to the players for his mistake. He knew about the situation he had left his teammates in with his actions."
Reactions from Pundits
Former Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison commented on the sending off, highlighting potential teething issues. He said: "If you know the rules, you shouldn't do it. You've got to credit the referee and the VAR for making that decision. Not everyone would agree with it, but if those are the rules, you've got to stick by the rules."
