Valère Germain, who was supposed to be serving a three-game suspension imposed in March, inadvertently played in the tie against Lion City Sailors on Wednesday. This oversight resulted in the Asian Football Confederation awarding the Sailors a 3-0 victory, giving them a significant three-goal advantage to protect in the competition. Germain, who joined Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the end of February as a key reinforcement, came off the bench and scored in the 74th minute of his debut, only for the match to be overturned due to his ineligibility.
The Asian Football Confederation confirmed that Germain was ineligible for the tie, leading to Sanfrecce being penalized. In addition to the overturned result, the club received a US$1,000 fine. Despite the error, Germain has been deemed to have served the first game of his three-match suspension through this incident. This development poses a significant setback for Sanfrecce, which had high hopes for Germain's impact on the field.
Adding to Sanfrecce's woes, playmaker Tolgay Arslan may be sidelined for up to six months following a serious injury sustained in a league match against Yokohama FC. Arslan's absence is a significant blow to the team's midfield, further complicating Sanfrecce's strategy as they move forward without two of their critical players. The team will need to adapt quickly to these challenges to maintain their competitiveness.
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