Arsenal star Fabio Vieira’s loan spell at Hamburg is turning into a nightmare after receiving his second red card in just three Bundesliga games.
Vieira was tipped for a bright future after joining Arsenal from Porto in 2022 in a £30million transfer but his career is yet to take off.
Failing to make the grade in the Premier League, the attacking midfielder returned to Porto last year but after an underwhelming season the Portuguese club turned down the chance to re-sign him permanently.
Not part of Mikel Arteta’s plans anymore, Vieira, alongside fellow Gunners outcast Albert Sambi Lokonga, managed to secure a move to HSV on deadline day.
The German club have the option to make the transfer permanent for around £17m, with the Portuguese under contract at Arsenal until 2027.
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And while he has recorded two assists in six appearances across all competitions, his discipline has been a major problem, having been sent off in two of his last three league matches.
The 25-year-old was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Leopold Querfeld during the goalless draw with Union Berlin in September, with the German FA slapping him with a two game ban.
And on Sunday, with his side 2-1 down to Koln, Vieira was shown two yellow cards in the space of just nine minutes and given his marching orders.
Just moments earlier, his teammate Immanuel Pherai had also been sent off, with nine-man Hamburg going onto lose 4-1, a result that leaves them just two points above the relegation zone.
Vieira’s first yellow in the 74th minute was for a foul and his second in the 83rd for dissent as he complained to the referee about Koln’s time-wasting.
Explaining the sending off, referee Daniel Schlager said, as reported by BILD: ‘I told him (Vieira) that I wouldn’t tolerate that kind of communication.
‘I also spoke to the captain (Yussuf Poulsen) and, at half-time, to the HSV coach (Merlin Polzin), pointing out his behaviour. But it didn’t stop after half-time.
‘At some point, I reach my limit. He then demanded time-wasting from (Koln goalkeeper Marvin) Schwabe. That was too much for me, so I showed him a second yellow card.’
Hamburg captain Poulsen defended Vieira however, saying: ‘We get two unfortunate red cards. Especially with the second one, you have to be careful.
‘We have a rule that you’re not allowed to speak to the referee to protect him. But when the referee exploits the rules… Fabio tells him that Schwabe is wasting time. I have to watch what I say because I get very emotional.
‘The rule is there to protect the referee. It’s not like we’re not supposed to talk to the ref. The second yellow-red card shouldn’t have happened.
‘You’re allowed to talk to the ref, you’re allowed to point out that Cologne are wasting time. That annoys me a bit.’
Vieira will now miss Hamburg’s next two games, meaning he won’t return to the pitch until November 30 when his side hosts Stuttgart.
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