Inside the Red Zone: Endrick's Shock Red Card Contours a Nantes-Lyon Thriller
7 February 2026
What happened in Nantes vs Lyon
First moment on the pitch: a shock for Lyon's star Endrick.
The Ligue 1 clash between Nantes and Lyon, in Round 21, featured a controversial refereeing decision involving 19-year-old Brazilian Endrick, on loan from Real Madrid.
Endrick, 19, was sent off directly in the 61st minute after a challenge near the touchline.
The referee initially showed a yellow card, then, after a VAR review, upgraded to a red, deeming the tackle dangerous and deliberate.
The dismissal came while Lyon led 1-0 through a 25th-minute goal by Pavel Schultz, forcing Lyon to play with ten men for over half an hour.
Lyon held the 1-0 lead to finish the match away from home, moving to 42 points in third place; Nantes remained at 14 in 16th place (third from bottom).
Endrick's disciplinary history
Unprecedented... but!
This is not Endrick's first red card in his career; it is his third.
Crucially, this is the first red card he has seen while on the pitch; at his previous clubs Real Madrid and Palmeiras, he earned two straight reds while sitting on the bench for misconduct.
First incident: Palmeiras vs Atlético Mineiro in the Libertadores Round of 16 in August 2023, when he received a direct red on the bench after kicking the ball into play to disrupt the match; he was suspended for one game.
Second incident with Real Madrid: again from the bench for misconduct against the referee in a Madrid vs Celta Vigo match in December; suspended for two games.
Punchline 1: If bench-sitting were a sport, Endrick would be world champion.
Punchline 2: If red cards were fashion, Endrick would be walking Paris Fashion Week every week.
