‘Cunha is okay’ – Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola boldly reacts to Wolves red card in FA Cup clash

Wolves’ FA Cup outing was a nightmare in all areas as Vitor Pereira’s side were faced with a wall of challenges.

Getting knocked out of the FA Cup was the least of Pereira’s worries following Wolves’ trip to the Vitality. 

Though the 90 minutes of action ended 1-1, what unfolded in the final moments of extra time was difficult to comprehend.

Matheus Cunha was sent off for violent conduct and then, Wolves lost on penalties, heading into the dressing room fatigued, deflated and without their star player for the foreseeable.

• READ MORE: Wolves player ratings vs Bournemouth, Matheus Cunha goes from hero to zero but 4/10 man struggles

Andoni Iraola reacts to Matheus Cunha’s red card vs Bournemouth

Cunha will miss Wolves’ next three games with suspension, which is that last thing the Old Gold need amid a relegation battle.

The Brazilian has five goals in his last six games, emphasising what Pereira’s front line is about to be without.

It was a nightmare outing for the Wolves squad for a number of reasons, with the most pressing issue being the red card, which had both managers talking.

Pereira sympathised for the pressure Cunha was under at the moment of his thoughtless actions in the 120th minute, but, Andoni Iraola had a contrasting view. 

Speaking to the media after the dramatic cup tie, the Bournemouth boss expressed why he was ‘very disappointed’ with the fiery incident.

“The consequences for Cunha is okay, they [Wolves] are out of the cup,” the Spaniard said. 

“But the consequences, for example, for Milos Kerkez, he has, I think they told me after the game, he has received a yellow card because, I’ve written it down, ‘adopting an aggressive attitude’.

“After what they have done to Milos Kerkez, they should reward him because the attitude he has had. They punch him, they kick him on the floor, they headbutt him and he doesn’t react.

“You punish this. But I will have to say to Milos, probably as a player, I cannot react as well as he did.”

Iraola was perplexed that Milos Kerkez was punished after being the victim of Cunha’s outburst, ruling the defender out of the quarterfinal.

“I’m not reacting as well as he did. And the prize is they show him a yellow card and he will not play the quarterfinals in, I don’t know, if it’s the most important game of the season for us, but definitely one of the most important ones.

“So, yes, I’m very disappointed with the refereeing.”

Disaster for Matheus Cunha

After the fixture, Cunha acknowledged losing his head in the moment, which was incredibly costly for Wolves. 

Iraola insists that the exchange was just as costly for Bournemouth but, Pereira would think otherwise. 

Wolves now have the next three Premier League games to play without Cunha, who has been directly involved in 45% of the Old Gold’s league goals this term.

Alarm bells are ringing for Pereira, just as they are for Cunha, who let his teammates down staggeringly at a decisive moment in Wolves’ season.