Fernandão is a Brazilian striker for Fenerbahçe in Turkey. We’re not sure if he watches American television, but my guess is if he’s seen Key & Peele he’ll be arguing his case like a young Hingle McCringleberry. The Fernandão celebration during a match against Beşiktaş on Sunday resulted in a two-match suspension and $15,900 fine, handed down on Thursday.
Fernandão opened the scoring for Fenerbahçe in the eighth minute of a heated rivalry match against Beşiktaş in the Turkish Süper Lig on Sunday. Though Beşiktaş rallied to win thanks to the outside of Ricardo Quaresma’s boot (more on him later), the Fernandão celebration after the goal will have lasting consequences for the player and his team. Here’s what drew the two-match suspension:
Fernandao has been suspended for 2 games for this celebration...
Ridiculous if you ask me...
It’s a derby... pic.twitter.com/4qHNK84PIw— Turkish Football (@Turkish_Futbol1) February 28, 2018
Two pelvic thrusts. Two pumps. Anyone who’s watched Key & Peele knows — at least in American football — it’s not a foul until the third pump. This man is innocent!
Clearly, Turkey has different rules than America, where you’re allowed two pumps before a flag is thrown.
The Fernandão celebration in question. Photo: @Fenerbahce_MP | Twitter
To understand the reason for the suspension in full you have to go all the way back to Brazil, where Bahia midfielder Vinícius started a massive brawl that resulted in eight red cards. (The match was eventually abandoned after two more red cards were picked up.) The act that started the brawl? A Vinícius pelvic thrust after his goal for Bahia, for whom Fernandão used to play, against rival Vitoria.
Fernandao came out in support of Bahia’s Vinicius who incited a mass brawl. 10 players saw red. Game abandoned pic.twitter.com/oQRSi0msae
— Turkish Football (@Turkish_Futbol1) March 1, 2018
It’s tough to see in the video, but it appears Vinícius only made two pumps as well. I’m not sure what all the Vitoria players got so upset about.
The Fernandão celebration was a show of support for Vinícius, albeit an odd one. I don’t typically thrust my pelvis to support friends, but hey, to each their own.
By the fortune of the gods, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş played again on Thursday in the Turkish Cup. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw with three players being sent off. One of them was Quaresma, who received a straight red in the 52nd minute.
Quaresma warranted that red more than Fernandão warranted a suspension. Hopefully someone sends tape of McCringleberry to the Turkish footballing authorities. That Fernandão celebration, with only two pumps, just didn’t merit a suspension.
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