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Manchester United star Matheus Cunha will face no additional punishment from UEFA after refusing to leave the field following his red card against Roma.
The Brazilian proved to be United's savior on Tuesday, netting a late double to complete a stunning Champions League turnaround. After finding themselves 2–0 down within the first 18 minutes, the Red Devils struck three consecutive goals in the second half to seal a dramatic 3–2 win.
Cunha netted the decisive goal in the 86th minute, sparking wild celebrations at Old Trafford. The striker whipped off his shirt before leaping into the crowd, earning a yellow card in the process. His night grew even more eventful when he collected a second booking in stoppage time for a reckless foul on Roma defender Leonardo Balerdi.
Despite his dismissal, Cunha ignored competition regulations and refused to head down the tunnel, instead perching on the advertising hoardings to watch the closing minutes of the match. At the final whistle, he rushed onto the pitch to join his teammates' celebrations before Michael Carrick appeared to guide him toward the dressing room.
Cunha's behavior could have resulted in further sanctions, but he escaped with only a one-match suspension. "The UEFA official reports did not mention anything about this incident," a UEFA spokesperson confirmed.
"Therefore the automatic one-match ban following two yellow cards should not be extended for this reason. We are not investigating further this matter."
The Game Cunha Will Miss for United
The positive news for United is that Cunha will not be absent for the club's crucial Premier League encounter with Aston Villa on Sunday. As his red card came in the Champions League, the suspension applies only to that competition and not domestic fixtures.
Cunha will also be free to play against Liverpool when the Red Devils resume action after the November international break.
The one-match ban will take effect for United's Champions League fixture against Sporting CP on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Cunha will not travel to Lisbon, where Carrick's side will be aiming to secure their third Champions League victory in their first five games back in Europe's top club competition.
Had Cunha received additional punishment for failing to exit the pitch on Tuesday, he would have also been ruled out of the Red Devils' match against RB Leipzig on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
Cunha Resurrects United's Champions Hopes
Following damaging losses to Atlético Madrid and Como, it appeared that United's Champions League comeback was set to come to an early end. Compounding the concern was the team's dreadful run of form across all competitions, with the Red Devils entering Tuesday's game on a nine-match winless streak.
However, Cunha's brilliance finally ended the miserable run and returned United to winning ways. Crucially, the result lifted the club to 17th in the league phase standings, whereas a defeat would have condemned them to the bottom 12.
With four matches still remaining in the league phase, United can now dare to dream of a mid-table finish that would secure their spot in the knockout phase playoffs.
After facing Sporting and Leipzig, the Red Devils have a showdown with last season's semifinalists Bayern Munich before wrapping up the league phase against an out-of-form Villarreal.