Fans react as Ludogorets’ Olivier Verdon is shown straight red for STAMP on Roma’s Nicola Zalewski

Roma midfielder Nicola Zalewski was lucky enough to avoid a serious injury after being knocked to the ground during the Europa League win over Ludogorets.

Jose Mourinho’s side led 3-1 with two minutes left when the visitors launched a free kick into the penalty area, which was well defended.

The referee was then called by VAR officials for an on-field assessment, with Ludogorets defender Olivier Verdon’s stamp on Zalewski, who had fallen to the ground seconds earlier.

Verdon was then shown a live lecture as he pleaded his innocence, although it is not known whether he did it accidentally or on purpose.

Zalewski was left dazed for a few seconds, but the 20-year-old managed to play the remaining minutes of the win.

Fans have taken to social media to take a closer look at Verdon. One tweeted: ‘how do people say this isn’t red. intentional or not, that’s horrible. could have caused truly life-altering injuries.”

‘How Verdon can deliver one of the brightest reds I’ve ever seen baffles me. Guys were lucky he wasn’t interrogated because GBH made him chew his studs,” wrote another fan.

A third simply said, “Shame on a challenge.”

Roma fell behind four minutes before half time when a powerful attack from Brazilian forward Rick Ludogorets gave them the lead.

Lorenzo Pellegrini leveled Roma with a penalty in the 56th minute before scoring again from 12 yards after Nicolo Zaniolo was knocked down in the penalty area.

Zaniolo later became the goalscorer when he sealed the victory five minutes before the end. Roma will face one of the teams that dropped out of the Champions League for a place in the Europa League’s last 32