Mbaye Niang criticizes opponent on social media after controversial red card

Senegalese forward Mbaye Niang expressed his frustration on social media after being sent off during Sampdoria’s Serie B clash against Reggiana on Sunday.

The striker, who had put his team ahead with a crucial goal, received a second yellow card just minutes later, a decision he strongly contested.

Niang found the net to give Sampdoria a 2-1 lead, but his joy was short-lived. Shortly after scoring, he was penalized for a challenge on an opponent and shown a second yellow, reducing his side to ten men.

Replays of the incident appeared to suggest minimal contact, fueling debate over the referee’s decision.

Former Serie A referee Gianpaolo Calvarese weighed in on the controversy, stating that the images clearly showed Niang had not made contact with his opponent, Filippo Meroni.

“Niang’s slide looks dangerous, but he never actually touches Meroni. Meroni himself clutches his right foot, even though at the moment of the slide, Niang’s foot appears to be at least 30 to 40 centimeters away,” Calvarese explained.

M’baye Niang non tocca minimamente il difensore della Reggiana.
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????️ #UCSampdoria #ReggianaSampdoria #LegaItaliana #Arbitri #SerieBKT #MbayeNiang #Espulsione pic.twitter.com/hjCCRGzuHC

— blucerchiati.art (@blucerchiatiart) March 16, 2025

The dismissal had a significant impact on the match, as Sampdoria, unable to maintain their lead with ten men, had to settle for a draw.

Frustrated by the incident, Niang took to Instagram to criticize both Meroni and the match officials.

“The player is not playing fair, that’s enough, but the referee is speechless,” he wrote, adding vomiting emojis to emphasize his anger.

However, a few hours later, the former AC Milan forward deleted the post and replaced it with a more measured message: “Against everything and everyone.”

Alongside the statement, he shared footage of the incident, reinforcing his argument that no contact had been made.

Niang’s reaction highlights the ongoing debate surrounding refereeing decisions and fair play in football.

While his frustration is understandable, his social media outburst and subsequent retraction suggest a player caught in the heat of the moment, struggling to come to terms with an incident that may have cost his team a crucial victory.

????| M’baye Niang via Instagram.

????️ #UCSampdoria #Blucerchiatiart #MbayeNiang #ReggianaSampdoria #SerieBKT pic.twitter.com/uaROiPPlEv

— blucerchiati.art (@blucerchiatiart) March 16, 2025