With RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita set to join Liverpool next summer, the Guinean international is seemingly intent on giving himself as much of a rest as he can beforehand.
The Premier League club announced back in August that they had agreed to sign Keita in a club-record deal beleived to be worth around £55m – but ever since the move was announced, serious questions have begun to surface regarding his discipline.
RB Leipzig were in DFB-Pokal action on Wednesday night in a massive tie with title rivals (and defending league champions) Bayern Munich, in a match that ideally Leipzig would like to keep all of their players on for.
Keita, however, wasn’t having any of that, and saw red – for the third time in just seven matches for club and country – just eight minutes into the second half for a second bookable offence. It as doubly frustrating for all concerned as, by all accounts, the 22-year-old had been enjoying a fine game up until that point.
Down to ten men, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side were still close to pulling off an unlikely win. Emil Forsberg’s 68th minute penalty threatened to cause an upset, but Thiago levelled it up with just over fifteen minutes remaining. RB Leipzig would later go out on penalties, but credit must still go to them for bringing Bayern through extra time despite their numerical disadvantage.
Hasenhüttl was adamant after the match that Keita’s red card was harsh, particularly given how easily Robert Lewandowski went down under the challenge, but picking up another red card in such a short space of time is a worrying trend, and one that is starting to concern some people:
Naby Keita is sent off again! ?
He’s now been shown 3 red cards in his last 7 games for club and country. pic.twitter.com/lAaIOqLFsl
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) October 25, 2017
Liverpool-bound midfielder Naby Keita is getting red cards for fun!
It has been a season to forget so far for him.https://t.co/zGAt30XPMj pic.twitter.com/v1R2Dn1XK4
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 26, 2017
Naby Keita sent off, again. Third red card in just over a month. [CC: @LFC]
— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) October 25, 2017
Naby Keita’s determination to miss as many games as possible is hugely admirable.
— Ste Hoare (@stehoare) October 25, 2017
Naby Keita sent off against Munich. Really wants that move to Liverpool in January I see ?
— Roopa (@LFC_RV) October 25, 2017
Seven minutes into the second half, Naby Keita sent off again. On a yellow, tugs back Lewandowski. Idiocy. £48m worth of stupid.
— Alex Richards (@AA_Richards) October 25, 2017
another red for naby keita!
— Dinesh Kumar (@DHardayal) October 25, 2017
Naby Keita wants to be a red
Maybe he’s misunderstood the phrase ??
— Riddock (@N8K__) October 25, 2017
Naby Keita sent off for the 3rd time in 3 games, Liverpool must be worried about his temperament at this stage.
— Mootaz Chehade (@MHChehade) October 25, 2017
Read More About: Bayern Munich, Bundesliga, dfb-pokal, Liverpool, naby keita, Premier League
