Tuchel wants consistency after ‘strange’ decision to overturn ban

Thomas Tuchel called for consistency following FIFA’s “strange” decision to effectively overturn United States striker Folarin Balogun’s red card on a day when the England boss was annoyed by some decision-making in Mexico.

Despite being sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the US striker has been cleared to play in Monday’s last-16 tie against Belgium after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced it would suspend his one-match ban for a year.

That development sent shockwaves around the football world, with Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia likening the ruling to “April Fool’s Day” as the “astonished” Belgian Football Association confirmed it was considering its options.

US President Donald Trump thanked FIFA for “reversing a great injustice” that has opened an almighty can of worms on a day that ended with England securing a 3-2 win against Mexico despite the VAR’s involvement in two big second half moments.

Jarell Quansah’s sending off and a Mexico penalty resulted from those interventions, with head coach Tuchel saying: “In the game this was not even given a foul, so the referee obviously also thought that it’s a hard tackle but it was OK for him to let it play,

“VAR came, made a decision and then, like always, I just saw the still on the screen. You cannot take decisions on a still in a football match. It’s just not possible. And they did it, of course, against us, so Jarell is very upset, of course.

“It is disappointing and the setback today because we were good in the match. For me, not enough for VAR to overturn the decision, like the penalty. But OK, it is what it is.”

Put to Tuchel that there might be hope Quansah can play in the quarter-final against Norway given Balogun was cleared, Tuchel said: “Where does this start and where does this end now?

“Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What’s going on? Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that. Where does this end now?

“Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end? It’s my question. I don’t have an answer.”

The fallout to FIFA’s decision will certainly run and run, with Tuchel among those calling for clarity.

“I think first of all, to be very clear, that it was not a red card,” he said of Balogun’s sending off against Bosnia. “But VAR got involved and obviously three people from VAR and the referee checked it were then of the opinion that it was a red card, so the decision is made.

“Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now? It’s just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.

“So, is our yellow card after the first minute against Declan Rice… we can now debate endlessly. I think it is not a yellow card. Do we get this back?

“Does France get the yellow card back for (Michael) Olise which was not a yellow card? Where does this end? Where does it stop?

“I don’t know the rules. I am the wrong person to ask. I will wait and see what’s coming.”