“The referee knew…”: Ex-United ace opens up on bizarre red card as his club prepares to appeal decision

Antony’s career took a nosedive after joining Manchester United, but like Marcus Rashford, the Brazilian has begun to redeem himself in Spain. The Red Devils thought they had secured the next big South American star when they paid Ajax £86 million for the player in 2022. However, Antony proved to be an enigma and blew hot and cold during his two-and-a-half-season stay at the Theatre of Dreams. The Premier League giants streamlined their squad following Ruben Amorim’s arrival last November. The Brazilian forward initially joined Real Betis on loan and after much speculation, finally signed for them permanently this summer on a €25 million deal. Rejuvenated in Spain Antony enjoyed a tremendous loan spell with Real Betis last season, registering nine goals and five assists in 26 games in all competitions. The Brazilian has continued his golden run in Spain this campaign as well, scoring six goals and setting up two more in 12 appearances, all of which were starts. Antony Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played LaLiga94111771′ UEFA Europa League3211–222′ Copa del Rey–––––– Total 25/26126221993′ Source: TransfermarktAntony is now an indispensable part of Manuel Pellegrini’s set-up at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. He was also in the starting XI for the 1-1 draw against Girona at the weekend. However, the Brazilian was given his marching orders after his attempted overhead kick struck Joel Roca on the head. Antony stands suspended for the upcoming derby against Sevilla, and a new report has now provided an update on the matter. Real Betis planning to appeal red card According to AS, Real Betis are planning to appeal Antony’s red card. They are keen to have their talisman available when they travel to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Sunday, 30 November. The Brazilian spoke to journalists at the end of Monday’s training session, insisting that he never intended to hurt Roca. “I had no intention of hitting Joel Roca, so we are going to try to appeal. I won the tackle and did the bicycle kick, but I didn’t see him because I was looking at the ball. It was VAR’s decision; the referee knew I had no intention of hitting him,” said Antony. The player also expressed a desire to play against Sevilla, stating: “I haven’t had much rest. I hope to play in the derby; it’s a very important game.” Betis have even launched a social media campaign, “We won’t let you go… we’re with you, Antony”, in a bid to convince the authorities to rescind the red card. Final Thoughts While Antony’s chapter at United is already closed, the Old Trafford hierarchy will keep an eye on his performances for a specific reason. United reportedly included a 50% sell-on clause in the Brazilian’s deal this summer, so they stand to benefit if the player continues his stellar rise and a big club comes calling. Featured image Fran Santiago via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.