Euro 2020 news - Antonio Rudiger escapes punishment for Paul Pogba 'nibble', Marko Arnautovic handed one-game ban

ByEurosport

Updated 16/06/2021 at 14:18 GMT

Antonio Rudiger will not be punished after he appeared to bite Paul Pogba in Germany's opening Group F game on Tuesday. However, Austria forward Marko Arnautovic has been handed a one-game ban by UEFA after insulting a North Macedonia player in a nationalist outburst when he scored on Sunday.

Antonio Rudiger will not be punished by UEFA for appearing to bite Paul Pogba during Germany's 1-0 defeat to France on Tuesday evening.

As Pogba looked to break free of the touch-tight German centre-back, it looked like the Chelsea defender leaned in and bit his opponent on the upper back.

Pogba claimed post-match he was "nibbled".

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"I'm not crying for cards, yellow, red cards because of such actions," the midfielder said.

"He nibbled, I think, a little bit on me. But we have known each other for a long time. I told the referee and he takes decisions and he took a decision. It's over."

Reacting in the ITV Studio at half-time, former France and Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira said it did look like Rudiger bit the Frenchman, but that he was not entirely sure.

"I don’t know what he’s done there," Vieira said.

"You’ve seen the Pogba reaction, it looks like a bite. I don’t fully understand what he was trying to do there.”

But fellow pundit Roy Keane was more certain, saying it "wasn’t a proper bite".

"I think it was more of a nibble wasn't it, than a bite."

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ARNAUTOVIC HANDED ONE-GAME BAN

Austria's Marko Arnautovic has been handed a one-game ban for insulting a North Macedonia player during their Group C clash at the weekend.

The North Macedonia football federation requested UEFA punish Arnautovic for a nationalist outburst after he scored the third goal for Austria in their 3-1 win over the competition debutants.

UEFA's punishment means he will miss Austria's second group game against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Arnautovic apologised for his moment of anger on Instagram, but insists he did not say anything racist.

Austria's Marko Arnautovic has been handed a one-game ban

Image credit: Getty Images

The 32-year-old wrote: "There were some heated words yesterday in the emotions of the game for which I would like to APOLOGISE — especially to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania.

"I would like to say one thing very clearly: I AM NOT A RACIST!

"I have friends in almost every country and I stand for diversity. Everyone who knows me is aware of that."

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