Hein Vanhaezebrouck shows understanding for Orban’s suspension, but: “He thought the elbow that Gift received in Bruges last season was worse”

AA Gent has to make it on Wednesday evening at the Bosuil without Gift Orban (21). The Nigerian attacker will then serve his suspension after he was excluded last Sunday because he made a punching movement in the direction of Eupen defender Paeshuyse: “I thought this was the lightest possible punishment, so you shouldn’t appeal,” coach shows. Hein Vanhaezebrouck is understanding.

“The red card was strict: something has happened and then it is indicated by the fourth referee. From quite a distance. I didn’t see it because I was focused on the match,” Vanhaezebrouck returned to the exclusion of Gift Orban. “Gift does indeed make a move, but he doesn’t hit. You can appeal, but there was little point because you can’t get less. After all, the minimum is two weeks, and they have adjusted it that way.”

Ultimately, Orban has to watch for one match day and, according to Vanhaezebrouck, that is certainly fair: “The physical integrity of the opponent was not in danger. It is a reaction and then you can be punished with a red card. I thought it was a severe punishment anyway, but you have an element that allows you to draw red. We could appeal, but then you will miss him the next match anyway and then the federal public prosecutor’s office can even ask for a two-match suspension. If the sentence is correct, I don’t think you should appeal. I am not the man who litigates for the sake of litigating. I thought this was the lightest possible sentence, so you shouldn’t appeal.”

Orban also shows understanding for the sanction, but also asks questions: “Gift certainly also understood, because the penalty is between two and eight or two and five match days. So he also understood that you should not appeal now. On the other hand, I also told the group that we could do without this as a toothache, given our small group of players. Let this also be a lesson for Gift. However, last year he received an elbow bump in Bruges, which was not punished. He thought that elbow bump was worse than what he had done, but that is a different situation for someone else to judge.”

Gift Orban. — © BELGIUM

On to the Buffalo’s next assignment. On a visit to national champion Antwerp, AA Gent is once again facing a so-called reference match: “If you look at the results: we achieved absolutely nothing against them in the last three years,” Vanhaezebrouck notes. “We were better in those first meetings, but never won. However, last year we were no better. However, I mainly look ahead, but they became champions last year and won the cup. They now play the Champions League. Not much has changed in terms of players either. That will be a serious test for us.”

Shadow coach Wim De Coninck said the timing for the game at the Bosuil was not exactly favorable for the Buffaloes: “What is especially less pleasant for us is that we are playing our third match in five or six days. Moreover, they always had three days between their matches, but they deserved that through their performances. They always play on Tuesday or Wednesday in the Champions League and on Sunday or Friday in the league.”

“It is no coincidence that you encounter this so often”

“We know that from our CL period, but we should not complain about this,” says Vanhaezebrouck, who agrees that it will not be an easy visit for his team to visit Antwerp. “That is the only reason to say that this is less easy. We played a half with ten last Sunday. We also broke many records in terms of kilometers traveled. One extra day in between makes a huge difference. I do think that we can have recovered enough to present ourselves in a decent manner.”

Hein Vanhaezebrouck. — © BELGIUM

On the other hand, Vanhaezebrouck realizes that it is better for his team to kick off in the Bosuil with 100% focus. A problem that has often bothered his team in recent weeks: “We can ask the referee to start fifteen minutes later,” grinned the Ghent coach. “We are physically fine and it game plan is also always fine.”

“However, if you don’t do this meticulously, you will run into problems. If everyone is just doing something and there is too little communication, then it is no coincidence that you encounter this so often. On the other hand, we show a lot of resilience and are physically in such good shape that we can fight back. We also once had a season where we couldn’t win once after falling behind. We have turned that around since last year, but it would also be nice to take the lead.”

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