Lucas Paqueta brought to tears over yellow card as West Ham stars forced to intervene
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta was so frustrated by his yellow card against Tottenham he was moved to tears.
The Brazilian midfielder was booked after appearing to cut down rival Mikey Moore in the centre of the pitch.
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His sliding challenge grazed the Spurs youngster, who looked like he'd overrun the ball.
However, referee Michael Oliver determined the tackle was worth a yellow card.
And Paqueta was left fuming, so much so he was seen waving and flapping his arms before a camera shot then showed him wiping a tear away from his eye.
Oliver then called over the player in an attempt to warn him about his conduct, but he remained where he was.
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This indiscipline led his teammates to quickly arrive on the scene to calm him down and get him to respond to the official's pleas.
talkSPORT reporter James Fielden said: “You join me here mid-head loss from Lucas Paqueta who's just been yellow carded for what looked like a fairly simple yellow card challenge.
“There was a Tottenham player sprinting forward, he took him out, didn't get any of the ball and was shown a yellow card.
“He started throwing his arms in the air, stropping around. Michael Oliver was like, ‘What's the big deal? Calm down. It's a yellow card’.
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“He started marching away and wouldn't speak to Michael Oliver and three or four West Ham players have just had to go and grab Paqueta to really try and calm him down. Stop those tears flowing and get him to engage in the game again.
“I'm not sure what came over him there, but he seems to be okay again now and he's getting on with things here.”
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After a talk, Paqueta got on with the game but just seven minutes later he was substituted and looked devastated.
Once again, he looked emotional as he was replaced by James Ward-Prowse.
And his replacement almost won the Hammers a tight match in east London.
The two clubs looked to be playing out a 1-1 draw after first-half goals from Wilson Odobert and Jarrod Bowen.
A heavily-rotated Tottenham team had eight changes and Moore was the only substitute used as they prepare for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.
But the starters looked to tire offering West Ham some late chances with a Ward-Prowse set piece almost headed home by Bowen, and he then put a free-kick just past the post.
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West Ham manager Graham Potter was asked about Paqueta's yellow card and subsequent reaction.
However, he insisted there was nothing untoward about the situation.
"No, not really," he said. "I thought him and Tomas [Soucek] were just tiring a bit. They'd had to go through a lot of work. I haven't spoken to Lucas about that incident.
"There's no problem from my perspective. It's just sometimes players get a bit upset when it doesn't go their way. But he recovers well. He's no problem."
Meanwhile, Paqueta's wife Duda Fournier took to social media to comment on the incident, where she said: "I've never said anything here, and maybe I shouldn't have!
"My husband has a posture and strength that I admire and that
IMPRESSES me!
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"We've been living this nightmare for two years and he's ALWAYS strong… he's always had it in his head that he would only defend himself at the right time and place!
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"There's NOTHING against him. Have you never noticed that? Anyway, God knows everything, and only HE knows why we're going through this!
"And only because of HIM are we well and living happily as a family! I just wish people would respect him.. People are mean and unfair, without knowing ANYTHING!"
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