Explained: The 'punishment' Burnley's Josh Laurent will face for Stoke City dismissal
Josh Laurent found himself in the unusual position of being sent off in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Not only that, the 30-year-old was also dismissed at his old stomping ground for two yellows cards – something you rarely, if ever, see in a friendly outing.
The two bookings came within six second-half minutes of each other, leaving Scott Parker’s side a man down during their 1-0 defeat at Stoke City.
Laurent, who joined Burnley from Stoke, was initially cautioned in the 55th minute for deliberately stopping a Potters counter.
Fast forward to just after the hour-mark and referee Steve Martin marched over to brandish a second yellow after the Burnley man had cynically crashed into the back of a Stoke player.
While it was an unnecessary challenge and one he didn’t need to make, Laurent and Burnley’s coaching staff – as well as their Stoke counterparts – were left dumbfounded by the referee’s decision to brandish a red.
Scott Parker even revealed to the Burnley Express afterwards that both dugouts had no issue with Laurent being subbed off, rather than dismissed. But it’s claimed Martin told both managers he had to officiate the friendly as if it was a normal game.
Despite the red coming in a friendly game, Laurent will still face punishment – although fortunately it won’t have a great impact on the Clarets.
Burnley are also due to play a behind-closed-doors friendly at Gawthorpe next Saturday morning, before the Turf Moor game against Lazio later that afternoon.
Laurent is deemed suspended for the training ground fixture, meaning he’s still available to face the Serie A side – effectively making no difference.