6 instances when players were sent-off after the final whistle

Football brings the best and the worst out of footballers. Fouls are part of the game and some of the most cynical fouls are the ones that prevent the opposition from scoring or creating a goal scoring opportunity. Referees brandish yellow or red cards depending on the severity of the offence. The sight of a card coming out of one of the pockets is a common sight during most games. What is uncommon is cards being dished out after the final whistle. There are very few instances when players are booked or red-carded for offenses after the end of a game. Neymar recently inducted himself into the list with his red card act against Colombia in the Copa America.We look at players who have been sent off after the full-time whistle –

#6 Victor Valdes against Real Madrid

Victor Valdes completely lost the plot in this version of the El Clasico

The El Clasico matches always leave us with memories, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Goals are scored, superstars are born, but more importantly, almost every duel between Spain’s top 2 results in some sort of scuffle or brawl.

The same happened in this case too. Barcelona were in firm control of the title race in 2013 and the match at Santiago Bernabeu was an ideal one to put some daylight between themselves and their archrivals.

Karim Benzema gave Madrid an early lead before Lionel Messi equalized in the 18th minute to equal Alfredo Di Stefano’s record of 18 Clásico goals. The game turned on its head in the 82nd minute when Sergio Ramos headed in Madrid’s winner from another corner.

In injury-time, Barca had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down when Adriano was tripped by Sergio Ramos, which led to continued protests from the Catalan players even after the whistle.

Unhappy that the decision had gone against them, Victor Valdes raced towards the referee and started arguing over the decision. He was shown a yellow card which was followed by a straight red card for furiously berating the officials. He was then banned for 4 games in the La Liga for his lack of discipline.

The referee Miguel Angel Pérez Lasa noted in his match report that Valdés swore at him after he had not given a penalty against Sergio Ramos and had shouted, "You are shameless."

#5 Bilel Mohsni and Lee Erwin in the Scottish Premiership play-off

Bilel Mohsni and Erwin were at the centre of the fight at the end

In a pivotal playoff match, Motherwell secured their Scottish Premiership status with a 3-0 victory over Championship side Rangers at Fir Park last month.

Defending a decisive 3-1 lead from the first leg of the play-off, Motherwell had set up a defensive shape at home and Rangers lacked the pace and precision to break down their hosts’ dogged defense.

Marvin Johnson struck seven minutes after the break, with the ball deflecting off Marius Zaliukas on the way into the net. Lionel Ainsworth then had his shot diverted past Cammy Bell to set up a 2-goal lead before a late penalty from John Sutton secured a resounding 6-1 aggregate victory for Motherwell.

The final whistle triggered ugly scenes due to an on-field clash between Rangers defender Bilel Mohsni and Motherwell's Lee Erwin. Erwin pushed Mohsni and the Rangers defender responded with his fists and his boot before he was ushered off the pitch. Both of them along with unused Motherwell substitute Fraser Kerr were subsequently sent off in the tunnel.

#4 5 players sent off as Bradford City and Crawley Town brawl

Bradford and Crawley players decided to take matters into their own hands, literally

Bradford City was the toast of last year’s FA cup, as they punched above their weight and dealt a knockout punch to the eventual Premier League Champions Chelsea. The Bantams are also known to be the team who conjured the famous final day relegation escape in 2000 against Liverpool.

However, a couple of years back Bradford City was embroiled in a street-style brawl after the final whistle against Crawley Town in a League Two match. Playing at home, the Bantams equalized in the 72nd minute after Leon Clarke had scored the opener for Crawley Town. Gary Alexander scored the winner for Crawley four minutes later, breaking plenty of Bradford hearts.

What followed after the final whistle was the most memorable part of the tempestuous encounter though. A proper brawl broke out with punches thrown by players and coaching staff of both teams. A record number of 5 players were sent off, equaling the British record of players dismissed in a match.

Bradford’s Andrew Davies, Luke Oliver and Jon McLaughlin were dismissed in the home dressing room by referee Ian Williamson following the scuffle. Crawley’s Kyle McFadzean and substitute Claude Davis, who had only been on the field for four minutes, were also given their marching orders after they had left the pitch.

"I can't believe this has happened," Bradford manager Phil Parkinson, told BBC. "I have never been in a situation before where a ref has come into the dressing room, pulled players on one side and sent them off. He wouldn't allow me in there."

#3 Andre Ayew against Paris Saint-Germain

Caption

Swansea’s latest recruit Ayew would be a happy man now that his move has been completed. Ayew was unhappy throughout last season due to the unfair treatment meted by officials toward his former club Marseille.

In particular Ayew’s frustration would be the weird circumstances in which he was red-carded after the final whistle against PSG, which handed the title to the Parisian club.

The Le Classique was a thrilling affair at the Stade Velodrome as Marseille squandered the lead twice to allow PSG to prevail by a score-line of 3-2. Andre-Pierre Gignac's 30th-minute opener was cancelled out within five minutes by Blaise Matuidi's equaliser, in a captivating start to the match.

Gignac then struck his second goal in the 43rd minute. However, PSG pulled level in the 49th minute behind Marquinhos' stabbed effort from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick. The team from Paris then took the lead and the points through a Jeremy Morel own goal from a cross just two minutes later.

The talking point of the match were the circumstances under which Ayew got sent off. The 25-year-old had earlier gone into the referee’s pocket for a bad foul in the 54th minute. After the final whistle, the Ghanaian continued protesting to the referee and his team of officials which saw him being red-carded for unsporting behaviour.

"I told him that we were fed up and then I received a second yellow card," he told reporters. "As we are now not allowed to speak to the referees anymore and to tell them anything, that's how it works. The staff went to see him and he told them that I didn't say anything bad. It is just that I came too close to him. That's not good for the 'image' apparently. So I got another yellow card.”

#2 Danny Rose against Serbia

Danny Rose was sent off for making monkey gestures and kicking the ball into the crowd

The England U-21 side had secured their passage to Euro 2013 by grinding out a 2-0 result against Serbia winning by a goal in both their home and away matches. England, who led 1-0 after the home leg, seemed to be on the brink of qualifying as the game in Serbia meandered to a draw.

It was the late movement of Serbian goalkeeper Branimir Aleksic up the pitch for a last-ditch free-kick that set up England’s last-minute winner. They broke swiftly with Thomas Ince racing down the right flank and cutting the ball back to Connor Wickham, who shot the ball into an empty net.

However, as the English players celebrated, a series of objects were thrown on the field as the crowd expressed their frustration. The final whistle was blown almost immediately but players from both sides clashed, and it was not long before coaches and even officials became involved.

In the melee that ensued, Danny Rose was sent off for kicking the ball into the crowd. Having been racially abused for the better part of the match, a frustrated Rose made a monkey gesture and resorted to launching the ball into the home support.

“The first half was no way near as bad as the second half. I had two stones hit me in the head when I went to get the ball for a throw-in. Every time I touched the ball I heard monkey chants," Rose said after the match.

#1 Neymar and Carlos Bacca at the Copa America

Neymar was sent-off for a headbutt, Bacca sent-off for shoving Neymar

Last year, Neymar had bowed out of football’s prized tournament, in his home country, thanks to a crunching challenge from Colombia's Juan Camilo Zuniga. Although Brazil won the quarter-finals, without the presence of Neymar, they were mauled by Germany in the semi-finals. Hence, Brazil’s group game against Colombia in the Copa America served as the perfect opportunity for Neymar to propel his country to glory.

The game, however, saw an uninspired Neymar take to the field. A player of his calibre was unable to control the game and Colombia scored the all-important goal that got them only their second victory in 10 Copa America encounters against the five-time World Champions.

Colombia were the better side throughout the game and defender Jeison Murillo provided the winner nine minutes before half-time by seizing on a loose ball to score. Brazil’s Roberto Firmino had a chance to score the equaliser in the second half, but he skied the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

However, the end of the match showed the ugly side of the match when Neymar and Carlos Bacca got sent-off. The Barcelona man started the fracas by booting the ball into the back of Colombian defender Pablo Armero, who was very close to him at the time.

Colombia’s players swarmed Neymar, and he then appeared to headbutt Murillo. Carlos Bacca immediately shoved Neymar from behind, earning himself a red card. What ensued in the tunnel between the referee and him after he was shown after the red card resulted in his 4-match suspension.