Manchester City and Spain fans alike were given a scare after Italy substitute Bryan Cristante left Rodri lying in a heap straight from the restart in Spain’s Euro 2024 clash with Italy.
Arsenal midfielder Jorginho made way for Cristante at the break in a double-change that also saw Andrea Cambiaso replace Davide Frattesi – and Roma midfielder Cristante made an immediate and literal impact as he clattered into Rodri straight after the second half kicked off.
ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley adding that it was ‘rather malicious’, while colleague Ally McCoist described it as a ‘sore one’ for the Spaniard and that it was a challenge notorious hard-man Vinnie Jones would smile at.
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Bryan Cristante has nothing on Vinnie Jones for swift post-kick off fouls
That was a reference to the Welsh international getting booked within five second of kick-off not once but twice in his career: once for Sheffield United against Manchester City in 1991, and then a year later, against Sheffield United, having since moved to Chelsea.
Cristante didn’t quite manage to beat that: he committed the foul just 15 seconds after his introduction and was shown a yellow card five seconds thereafter – making his 20 seconds of play between coming on and getting cautioned the fastest yellow card for a substitute in European Championships history.
Thankfully for City and Spain followers, Rodri was able to get back to his feet and continue after having a bit of on-field treatment.
Young fans may also have been reminiscing about that time Steven Gerrard was shown a straight red card for Liverpool just 38 seconds after coming on as a substitute against Manchester United in March 2015.
A Spaniard was on the receiving end of that one too, with Gerrard cleaning out Juan Mata with an initial challenge before steaming into Ander Herrera seconds later with a stamp that even the former England midfielder immediately accepted was the right call by the officials.
Italy went behind to a Riccardo Calafiori own goal in the 55th minutes.
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