Despite being sent off just five minutes into Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, goalkeeper Robert Sánchez will be available for the Blues’ next Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion. The seemingly lenient nature of the Robert Sanchez suspension is due to the specific reason for his dismissal, which will see him serve his one-game ban in a different competition.
Sánchez has long been regarded by many as a stop-gap solution for Chelsea between the posts. His time at the club has been characterized by impressive runs of form often undermined by high-profile errors and lapses in concentration. After a strong showing in the Club World Cup and a solid start to the 2025-26 season, his rash challenge on Bryan Mbeumo was one of those vintage horror moments that undid much of his recent good work and ultimately contributed to his team’s defeat.
Denial of a goalscoring opportunity vs. violent conduct
While Sánchez received a straight red card at Old Trafford, he will only be suspended for a single match. The reason for the short ban is that the dismissal was for the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, not for violent conduct. Although his lunge on Mbeumo was high and reckless, it did not meet the threshold for the latter offence.
In the Premier League, a red card for violent conduct typically results in a minimum three-match suspension. However, a professional foul, as this was deemed, carries only a one-match ban.
As a result, Sánchez will serve his suspension during Chelsea’s next domestic fixture, which is the Carabao Cup third-round clash at Lincoln City on Tuesday night. It is a fixture he was highly unlikely to have played in anyway, as manager Enzo Maresca was already expected to rotate his squad heavily. Filip Jörgensen, who replaced Sánchez after the red card, will almost certainly start that game.
Sánchez’s fortune in serving his ban in a cup game he was unlikely to feature in gives him an immediate chance at redemption in the league. However, the incident itself was another stark reminder of the inconsistency in his game, which will ensure the debate over Chelsea‘s long-term number one will continue.