The Chelsea debut of Joao Felix turned out to be not as successful as everyone had imagined. A risky tackle on Kenny Tete resulted in the forward’s dismissal from the game before the one-hour mark. As a result, he has added to an unfortunate list that already includes Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
The loan of Atlético Madrid forward Joao Felix to Chelsea for the rest of the season was officially confirmed on Wednesday, although there is no option to buy. They started him in the match on the second day against Fulham.
Sadly, the 23-year-old’s Premier League debut will be one he will never forget. His opening game for the Blues was marred by a red card for a reckless lunge on Cottagers defender Kenny Tete, despite an impressive start.
In response to a reckless high tackle, Chelsea were reduced to 10 men and eventually lost 2-1. The Portuguese international faces further games against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Fulham. A three-match ban for Felix would cost his new club €1.5 million, according to the terms of the loan deal.
Which other stars have received a red card on their debuts?
Joao Felix of Chelsea and Kenny Tete of Fulham. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Joao Felix has now joined the ranks of those players who have been sent off in their first game, like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. A little-known fact is that Lionel Messi’s first game for Argentina’s national team saw him earn marching orders. He was called up to the senior team by manager Jose Pekerman in 2005, for a friendly match against Hungary.
The then-Barcelona rising star was placed on the bench for the match since the starting lineup had several seasoned veterans. With La Albiceleste up 2-1 in the 64th minute, a young Lionel Messi was substituted in to ensure victory. He only played for a few minutes before being sent off two minutes later, ruining his maiden international debut.
In addition, to put it mildly, Luis Suarez’s relationship with his national team has not been smooth. In reality, he has been doing things that get him sent off for a red card ever since he first played for his country. Such an example is the red card at the last whistle of his senior debut in an international friendly against Colombia ended the striker’s first team adventure as an Uruguay player.
