Manchester United man narrowly escapes four-game ban after referee ‘error’

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Mason Greenwood has had his La Liga suspension overturned after the Manchester United loanee was sent off in controversial circumstances during Getafe’s 2-0 midweek defeat by Rayo Vallecano.

Now, it’s easy for us to say of course, but this always felt like a but of an open and shut case.

Mason Greenwood, after being fouled yet again by an aggressive Rayo side early to second half, counted to four on his fingers while shouting the odds at a clearly card-happy referee. The number four referring to the amount of times he felt he had been singled out for ‘special treatment’ by the visiting backline.

Manchester United man avoids La Liga ban

Now, perhaps something got lost in translation. Greenwood is, after all, one of those rarest of things, an Englishman plying his trade in Spain.

Fortunately, after appealing his 50th minute dismissal, the Spanish Football Federation had the good sense to accept that Greenwood had not, in fact, aimed a tirade of abuse in the direction of whistle-carrier Figueroa Vazquez.

“The repeated viewing of the images, in fact, allowed this Commission to conclude, beyond any doubt, that the action that led to the expulsion did not occur as described by the referee,” reads a statement, provided by Tuttomercatoweb.

“And, ultimately, (the images) prove the material error in the referee’s report. These images demonstrate that the player actually said ‘One, two, three, four, (and then a particular four-letter swear word), as the club specifies in its letter and as the sworn translator refers in her report.”

Mason Greenwood attracting attention

Greenwood could have faced up to four games on the sidelines had Getafe – who had three men sent off against Rayo – opted not to appeal Vazquez’s decision.

As such, the one-time England international will be free to feature during Saturday’s trip to Espanyol.

Greenwood has been in superb form of late, the 22-year-old tearing Atletico Madrid apart over the Christmas period while taking his tally to seven goals and assists from just 12 La Liga starts. According to reports, a who’s who of European superclubs are keeping tabs on his situation at Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund among them.