French media outlets have reached a rare consensus following Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri's controversial performance in Marseille's 3-0 French Cup victory against Rennes. The 18-year-old forward, on loan from the Gunners, was at the centre of a furious debate after a reckless first-half tackle that many believe should have resulted in a red card.
Nwaneri's Costly Challenge in Cup Clash
Ethan Nwaneri was handed a starting position by Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi for their French Cup round of 16 encounter against Rennes. Despite Marseille's comfortable 3-0 victory, the young English forward's match was defined by a single moment of recklessness that occurred just 22 minutes into the game.
Nwaneri launched into a late challenge on Rennes midfielder Glen Kamara, catching the Finnish international's ankle with considerable force. The impact forced Kamara to be substituted due to injury, sparking immediate controversy around the officiating decisions.
VAR Absence Proves Crucial
The most significant factor in the controversy emerged as the absence of Video Assistant Referee technology at this stage of the French Cup competition. French media unanimously agreed that had VAR been available, Nwaneri would almost certainly have been shown a red card rather than the yellow he received.
Rennes manager Habib Beye revealed post-match that officials had apologised for not dismissing the Arsenal loanee, acknowledging the severity of the challenge. De Zerbi responded by substituting Nwaneri at half-time, a decision widely interpreted as pre-empting potential second-half disciplinary action.
French Media Reaction
Eurosport France described Kamara's injury as "horrific" and suggested the entire complexion of the cup tie could have changed dramatically had Nwaneri received appropriate punishment. Their analysis noted: "Everything could have changed very quickly for Marseille after Nwaneri's foul on Kamara. It was a violent tackle with the Englishman's foot on the Finn's ankle."
La Provence, the regional publication, awarded Nwaneri a mere 4/10 rating for his first-half performance. Their assessment was particularly scathing: "He completely lost it when he took out Kamara with a very heavy tackle on the ankle that deserved a red card. He only received a yellow card but was logically replaced at half-time."
RMC Sport echoed similar sentiments in their live match commentary, stating: "Nwaneri's made a huge mistake! What a challenge from the Marseille newcomer. He delivers a very harsh tackle on Kamara's ankle. VAR isn't in use for the round of 16 so the English midfielder gets away with it!"
Broader Context of Nwaneri's Loan Spell
The controversy comes during what had been a promising start to Nwaneri's loan spell at Marseille. The youngest-ever Premier League player for Arsenal had made an immediate impact by scoring on his debut against Lens following his January move, orchestrated by Mikel Arteta to provide senior football experience.
Despite the disciplinary concerns, French media acknowledged Nwaneri's attacking potential. RMC Sport characterised him as "a whirlwind of energy in attack," while La Provence noted his "talent and fire in his legs" despite criticising his inconsistency.
The incident has raised questions about player discipline and the implementation of VAR across different stages of domestic cup competitions in France. As Marseille progress to the quarter-finals, the spotlight remains firmly on their young Arsenal loanee and the challenge that has dominated French football discourse.
