Manchester City’s promising young defender Rico Lewis finds himself sidelined for two additional matches at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a setback that has sparked frustration within the camp of the Premier League giants. The 20-year-old England international, sent off in the 88th minute of City’s opening 2-0 victory over Morocco’s Wydad AC in Philadelphia on June 18, initially faced a one-match suspension. However, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has now ruled the incident as “serious foul play,” extending his ban to three matches total. This means Lewis will miss City’s crucial final group stage clash against Juventus in Orlando on June 26 and their last-16 tie, casting a shadow over the team’s ambitions in the revamped 32-team tournament.
The incident that led to Lewis’s dismissal occurred late in City’s dominant performance at Lincoln Financial Field, where first-half goals from Phil Foden and Jérémy Doku secured a comfortable win. Lewis, attempting to win the ball, caught Wydad’s Samuel Obeng in the face with his follow-through, prompting referee Ramon Abatti to issue a straight red card. Despite protests from Lewis and manager Pep Guardiola, the video assistant referee upheld the call. “It’s not my decision, but I think it’s a possible red card because it wasn’t with intention to put his boot in my face but he touched it with his boot after the action,” Obeng said post-match, acknowledging the accidental nature of the contact but accepting the referee’s ruling. “I think it’s normal. It’s football, that can happen.”
Guardiola, visibly bemused by the decision, labeled the red card “unnecessary” after the game, arguing that Lewis’s challenge was devoid of malicious intent. “For the speed they go to touch the ball—for the Newton’s theory your leg has to be a little bit higher and the other player was down,” he explained, emphasizing that Lewis “has never had an intention to hurt anyone.” City appealed the extension of the ban, but FIFA’s statement was unequivocal: “The FIFA disciplinary committee has imposed the following sanction on Manchester City’s Rico Lewis who was sent off as a result of a direct red card during the FIFA Club World Cup match against Wydad AC. Three-match suspension for breach under article 14 paragraph 1 e) of the FIFA disciplinary code.” The unsuccessful appeal has left City scrambling to adjust their defensive setup.
Lewis, a versatile academy graduate who has shone at right-back and in midfield, already served the initial one-match ban during City’s 6-0 thrashing of Al Ain in Atlanta on June 22, a result that guaranteed their knockout stage berth. His absence against Juventus, a formidable opponent in Group G, and in the last-16 tie could test City’s depth, especially with new signings like Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Aït-Nouri still integrating. In Lewis’s absence, Matheus Nunes is likely to continue deputizing at right-back, with Guardiola potentially opting for a three-man central defense featuring Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, and Abdukodir Khusanov to bolster the backline. “We had good moments, many new players, and the first game in this group stage is always important,” Guardiola noted after the Wydad win, hinting at the need for adaptability.
The extended suspension is a bitter pill for Lewis, who was eager to make his mark in City’s new era following a trophyless 2024-25 season. His versatility and composure, showcased in a Premier League debut season where he earned praise as a “revelation,” make his absence keenly felt. Fans on social media expressed dismay, with one commenting, “Rico’s been robbed of a chance to shine in a big tournament,” reflecting the sentiment that the punishment outweighs the crime. The incident recalls a similar controversy in December 2024, when Lewis was harshly sent off against Crystal Palace for a second yellow card, a decision later deemed erroneous but unappealable.
City now face Juventus with the group’s top spot at stake, a match critical for avoiding a tougher last-16 opponent like Real Madrid. “We have the second one to try to arrive in the last game as qualified—then the last game to define if we’re first,” Guardiola said, outlining the strategy. Despite the setback, City’s squad, bolstered by Ilkay Gündogan’s brace against Al Ain and Foden’s resurgent form, remains a powerhouse. For Lewis, the focus shifts to redemption upon his return, as City aim to reclaim their global dominance in a tournament Guardiola sees as a blueprint for the 2025-26 season.
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