Roma’s Donyell Malen Sent Off Against Como After Dangerous Challenge
Roma were forced to finish their match against Como with ten players after Donyell Malen was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Bruno Kaiki. The dismissal followed a high-speed attempt to win back possession, with the Dutch forward arriving with his leg raised and his foot extended as he challenged the Brazilian defender.
The referee made the decision on the pitch, and a VAR review did not overturn it. Although Malen appeared to make slight contact with the ball, the manner of the challenge was the decisive factor. The incident quickly became one of the match’s defining moments, leaving Roma to manage the closing stages a player down and prompting debate among supporters about the boundary between a committed tackle and reckless play.
Why the referee showed Malen a red card
Under the Laws of the Game, touching the ball first does not automatically make a challenge fair. Referees must also consider how a player enters the contest, including the speed, force, position of the leg and potential danger to an opponent. In this case, Malen’s raised foot and straightened knee were central to the decision.
The challenge came as Malen tried to recover the ball from Kaiki. He went in at pace, with his boot above ankle height, creating a clear risk of serious injury. Even if the contact with the ball was genuine, the referee judged that the tackle endangered the Como player. That distinction is important in modern football: a player can win or touch the ball and still be penalised if the action is reckless or uses excessive force.
VAR checked the incident but found no reason to recommend changing the on-field call. Video review is intended to correct clear and obvious errors, not to replace every judgement made by the referee. Because the tackle’s height, speed and danger were visible on the footage, the original red-card decision stood.
Luca Marelli backs the decision
Former referee Luca Marelli agreed with the dismissal while discussing the incident on DAZN. He noted that Malen did graze the ball with the inside of his right foot, but said that detail did not outweigh the danger of the challenge.
Marelli described the tackle as badly executed, highlighting that Malen’s foot was raised above the ankle, his knee was straight and he arrived at speed. In his assessment, those factors made the red card the correct outcome. His comments reflect a key principle in refereeing: the safety of the opponent takes priority over whether the tackler makes contact with the ball.
That explanation may help clarify why some challenges look different when viewed from the stands than they do under the rules. A brief touch on the ball can create the impression of a successful tackle, but officials assess the entire movement. When a player’s studs or boot are raised and the opponent is exposed to a serious risk, the challenge can meet the threshold for a sending-off.
What the dismissal meant for Roma
Playing with ten men changes the demands of a football match immediately. Roma had to adjust their shape, cover the space left by Malen’s departure and balance defensive discipline with the need to remain a threat going forward. The team also lost a player who could contribute to pressing, carry the ball and help relieve pressure during the final stages.
A sending-off can influence more than the number of players on the pitch. It may force a coach to alter the formation, substitute an attacker for a defender or ask midfielders to take on extra defensive work. Those adjustments can affect a side’s ability to control possession and create chances, particularly when the opposition can circulate the ball and target gaps across the pitch.
For Como, the incident offered a potential numerical advantage, but making the most of it still required patience and precision. Against a compact ten-man side, the extra player is most useful when a team moves the ball quickly, stretches the defensive line and avoids forcing low-percentage passes. The red card therefore changed the tactical picture, even though it did not guarantee a particular result.
Red-card prediction: how the incident could shape future games
There is no reliable way to predict the outcome of a match from one dismissal alone. A team with ten players may defend effectively, while the side with a numerical advantage can struggle to turn possession into clear chances. The score, time remaining, substitutions and tactical response all matter. In this case, the most useful prediction is not a guaranteed result but a likely shift in the game’s rhythm: Roma would be expected to defend more deeply, while Como would have greater opportunity to control the ball and attack the wide areas.
The incident also offers a reminder for players and coaches. When pressing or attempting to win the ball back, arriving under control is crucial. A player who launches into a challenge with a raised foot risks not only a red card but also leaving teammates to cope with a numerical disadvantage. For referees, meanwhile, the episode shows why the action’s intensity and potential consequences matter as much as the point of contact.
A costly moment in a closely watched contest
Malen’s dismissal became a major talking point because it combined a visible touch of the ball with a challenge that officials considered dangerous. The referee’s decision, supported by VAR and Marelli’s analysis, was based on the raised foot, straight leg and speed of the tackle—not simply on whether Malen reached the ball first.
For Roma, the red card meant an immediate tactical challenge and a demanding finish to the match. For Como, it created an opportunity to exploit the extra space and player. And for football fans, the incident serves as a clear example of how modern refereeing weighs player safety when judging high-risk tackles. The final assessment was straightforward: despite grazing the ball, Malen’s challenge was dangerous enough to warrant a straight red.
