For a few seconds at the Vélodrome, Timothy Weah appeared to be walking towards an early exit. The Marseille captain had just been shown what looked like a red card in the 32nd minute of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, only for referee François Letexier to quickly realise he had taken out the wrong card.
Weah had arrived late on Nuno Mendes, catching the PSG defender in a challenge that the Marseille player accepted was dangerous. Letexier, wearing a microphone and body camera for Ligue1+, initially produced red before correcting himself and booking Weah instead.
The official apologised to Weah for the alarm, telling him he was sorry for the scare. The Marseille player did not dispute that he had committed a foul, although he argued that Mendes had stepped on his foot. Letexier replied that Weah had taken an unnecessary risk by making the tackle from behind. After VAR confirmed the yellow-card decision, the referee told him there were clearly grounds for the sanction.
Weah’s reprieve did not last until the final whistle. He was dismissed in the 77th minute after receiving a second booking for wrapping both arms around Mendes. Letexier was equally firm during the later discussion, saying the offence was obvious and that Weah had no case to argue.
Weah briefly protested that Mendes had repeatedly committed similar fouls, with Marseille forward Neal Maupay joining the appeal. Maupay complained that referees never reverse second yellow cards, prompting a lighter exchange amid an otherwise tense Classique.
Letexier reminded Maupay that second cautions can be withdrawn when they are wrong. “Then do it,” Maupay replied. The referee laughed before answering that this particular booking would stand because it was justified.
