Mario Lemina has picked up eight yellow cards so far in the Premier League – and Liam Keen has cleared up what would happen if he got two more in Wolves’ 32nd game against Nottingham Forest.
The Gabon international has been one of Wanderers’ very best players this season, impressing supporters with a string of warrior-like performances alongside Joao Gomes.
He has been a complete driving force for Wolves, and is in with a very good shout of winning either the Players’ Player of the Season award or the fan-voted one come the end of the season.
As everyone knows, Lemina is a combative player.
He is also passionate and emotional, and these things combined have landed him in the referee’s notebook quite a few times this season.
At the moment, Lemina – branded ‘a little jaded’ this week by Andy Thompson – is sitting on eight yellow cards in the Premier League this season.
Some have wondered what would happen if he happened to get two yellow cards in the next game against Nottingham Forest, and journalist Liam Keen has now explained the situation…
Mario Lemina potential ban situation explained as Wolves gear up for 32nd fixture vs Nottingham Forest
With Wolves having played 31 games in the Premier League this season, Lemina is currently sitting on eight yellow cards.
If any player reaches 10 before the 32nd game (and including that game), said player must then serve a two-game ban.
Some have wondered whether Lemina getting two yellow cards could lead to a three-game ban. So two bookings against Forest to take his season tally to 10 resulting in a ban for two games, plus a further one-game ban on top of that for obviously picking up a red card against Forest as a result of the two yellows.
But Keen has clarified that two yellow cards would only mean a one-game ban.
He said on the E&S podcast: “You’ll remember this happened earlier in the season with Lemina. He was on three yellow cards, and got sent off in the game against Aston Villa, where he got two yellow cards. The question was ‘Does he now have a red card ban and the yellow card ban combined?’ and the answer was no.
“Those two yellows that went towards the red, because they became a red card they get wiped out. So he stays on the same amount of yellow cards. So he went into the Newcastle game (after Bournemouth) and he was still on the number of yellow cards he was on the game before.
“If he gets two yellows against Forest, he’ll serve a one-match ban because of the red card, and he’ll go into the following game still on eight yellow cards.”
One player who is in a tricky spot is Nelson Semedo, who is on nine yellow cards. One more for him on Saturday and he’ll serve a two-game ban.
A big relief
So Lemina would not face a three-game ban if he did happen to pick up two more bookings against Forest, which is a big relief.
Thankfully, Lemina – hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Dave Edwards earlier this season – can pick up as many yellow cards as he likes after this game with Forest, because the threat of a two-game ban is only active for 10 bookings picked before (and including) the 32nd game.
He can just play his normal combative game against Forest. If he does get booked, then obviously he will then be careful so as to avoid a second to stay on the pitch.
But it’s good to know that if he did then get a second, he then wouldn’t be missing for three matches. Wolves have enough key players out at the moment and losing Lemina for such a period would just be absolutely disastrous.