No FA action over Aguero challenge

LONDON (AFP) –

David Luiz (L) is challenged by Sergio Aguero at Wembley Stadium in north London on April 14, 2013

Chelsea‘s Brazilian defender David Luiz (L) is challenged by Manchester City‘s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero during the FA Cup semi-final football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in north London on April 14, 2013. Aguero won’t be punished by the Football Association for his ugly challenge on Luiz in their FA Cup semi-final clash.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero won’t be punished by the Football Association for his ugly challenge on Chelsea’s David Luiz in their FA Cup semi-final clash.

Aguero escaped without punishment from referee Chris Foy after the Argentina international threw himself into a ferocious two-footed lunge on Luiz late in the second half of City’s 2-1 win at Wembley on Sunday.

Luiz was lying prone on the turf after tangling with Aguero moments earlier and the centre-back appeared to take the full force of the challenge.

But Aguero will not be charged retrospectively for the incident following confirmation that Foy had at least seen part of the incident and acted on it during the match by awarding Chelsea a free-kick.

Both of Aguero’s boots made contact with the upper part of Luiz’s left leg but under current FA rules only off-the-ball incidents or those viewed as “exceptional” – which would, for example, warrant more than a three-match ban – are dealt with retrospectively.

Luiz suffered no serious harm and played on until the end of the match, but the Brazilian defender did call on Aguero to apologise.

“Aguero is a great player but he needs to be honest with himself and say, ‘I don’t like to do bad tackles’,” Luiz said.

“Kids see the game and they want to see the good things and not the bad. I would apologise. Football is beautiful, but sometimes in games people have five seconds like that.

“I forgive him because I have a good heart. I don’t like to beat people.

“Sometimes in a game people have five seconds when they are angry and do things they don’t like to do. I think it was that.

“I never saw Aguero do a bad tackle on other players.”