Daniel Farke labelled Emi Buendia ‘naïve’ for his red card rush of blood in Norwich City’s 4-0 Championship win against QPR - but feels a three-game ban would be too harsh.
Buendia was dismissed for a two-footed lunge at Josh Scowen and is now set to be ruled out of the next three games of the Canaries’ promotion run in after his sending off for serious foul play.
Farke will await the referee’s report and confirmation from the Football League before plotting City’s next step. Buendia had opened the scoring and served up two assists prior to his early exit at Carrow Road.
“To be honest, I don’t expect a long ban. We have to wait and see what the EFL decide,” he said. “He didn’t touch the opponent and maybe the referee was influenced a bit by the QPR players. We will respect what the EFL decide.
“I don’t complain about the red card because he came with too much speed but further on I don’t think he should be unavailable for the next games. We have to wait for the EFL decision before we decide if we need to appeal.
“A tackle from behind is more dangerous to me than the one Emi did. I am not used to this situation in English football so I don’t know when we find out. But I am relaxed about it.
“I work with a young side who play with lots of emotion. It was not necessary for Emi to concede a red. It was naïve because we were 3-0 up and it was late in the game and deep in their half. There was no need to take so much risk.
“When I compare this situation with several others it was pretty strict. There was some nasty tackles from the front or the side that were punished with a yellow or no card at all and no free kick. There was no bad intention from Emi.
“It is a sign of his character. He was brilliant and in that situation wanted to help a team mate who had lost the ball. He didn’t touch the opponent, there was no injury but it looks dangerous because the speed of the challenge.
“He has to learn to be a bit more smart, a bit more calmed down. We have to accept this.”
Buendia had been upended seconds earlier by Toni Leistner, who escaped a booking, and was again the subject of some close attentions from the opposition.
“He is the most fouled player in the Championship,” said Farke. “I would understand if there was some frustration. Leistner didn’t even get a yellow and he touched Emi. There is no consistency. Listen, I am not asking for a red card for Leistner, but there was another one on him just before half-time.”
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