Former Derby County manager Gary Rowett believes that Leeds United defender Gaetano Berardi's red card in the Whites' 2-1 defeat to Millwall on Saturday afternoon was 'harsh' and that the Swiss' reputation may have played a part in his dismissal/
Berardi, drafted in to replace injured captain Liam Cooper at centre-half, was dismissed just 14 minutes into the clash in South East London when he was adjudged to have brought down Millwall striker Tom Bradshaw inside the penalty area, leading to Jed Wallace converting the resulting penalty.
However, replays clearly showed that Bradshaw, who bagged Millwall's second goal of the game, had gone down under the very faintest of - if any - touches. Despite Berardi's protests, referee James Linington was unmoved and stood by his decision to brandish a straight red card in Berardi's direction - the eighth of his Leeds United career.
Reviewing the decision on Saturday night's EFL on Quest, Rowett, working alongside presenter Colin Murray, said: "I think it's very harsh. I think he maybe fractionally catches Bradshaw's heel and that makes Bradshaw catch his own leg and his momentum takes him over.
"I think he's harshly done by but I don't think many officials are going to help Gaetano Berardi, are they?"
Leeds confirmed on Sunday morning that they would be appealing the decision.
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