French club Lille say they are considering taking legal action after defender Tiago Santos suffered a knee injury from an "uncontrolled and dangerous" tackle against Le Havre on Saturday. Santos, 24, was carried off on a stretcher having ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), as well as suffering a meniscal tear in his right knee.
He was tackled by Le Havre midfielder Amir Richardson in the first half of Lille's eventual 1-0 win. While the challenge was given as a foul, Richardson did not receive a yellow or red card.
Lille have asked the league to refer the incident to its disciplinary panel, arguing that it should have been a red card because the tackle was made "from behind, uncontrolled and in a dangerous manner." The club believes the challenge warranted a far harsher punishment than the one it received.
"Beyond the injury itself, the circumstances in which it occurred and the lack of sanction raise serious questions for the club," the club's statement added. The incident has put the spotlight on refereeing decisions and player safety, with Lille now awaiting the league's response to its request.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing