4 players sent off in the first half of a heated friendly between Coventry City and AEL Kalloni

Four players sent off in a friendly between Coventry City and AEL Kalloni.

Four players were sent off in the first opening 29 minutes of Coventry City’s pre-season tie against Greek club AEL Kalloni.

The referee had issued Kalloni’s Paul Keite the first red card who appeared to have punched City’s Danny Pugh in the head which led to some heated action in the very beginning of the match. Pugh was sent off too despite not retaliating to the incident.

Interestingly, the referee allowed both the sides to replace the sent-off players, allowing each of the two teams to play with 11 players.

Things didn’t end there as Kalloni’s Manuel Delgado was soon issued a red card as well in the 27th-minute, followed by yet another sending off just two minutes later. It was issued to City’s Billy Daniels who was sent off for a tackle which definitely didn’t deserve a sending off.

Speaking to the club’s official website later, Coventry City manager Steven Pressley said, “It was farcical. The referee completely lost control of the game and made some bizarre decisions which ruined what could, potentially, have been a really good game.”

Kalloni manager Ionnnis Matzourakis grabbing his own player by the throat, and the referee showing Keite the red card

When asked about Keite’s punch on Danny, he said, “Danny was punched in the head, although it was more of a slap, and for some bizarre reason the referee sent them both off. I have got absolutely no reason why because Dan didn’t retaliate at all.”

“He let us replace Danny and their player to keep it 11 v 11 because I had a conversation with their coach and we both wanted to try to keep the game as normal as possible. But as far as the referee goes and his control of the game, he just lost the plot,” he continued.

“And then Billy Daniels was sent off for what you would consider to be an everyday foul that is committed all day long. There was no malice in it, just a normal foul. It wasn’t even a booking and yet he felt he had to send him off to even the game up. The referee made some really bizarre decisions.”

"I've never seen anything quite like it. What I say, I say without any bias, and while you could make a case for the sending off of the two opposition players, our dismissals were a little bit farcical," he concluded.

This was Coventry City’s third match in their preparation for the upcoming new season, and the match ended in a goalless draw.