Gullit: Pedri should be directly sent off after he dragged Vinicius

Ruud Gullit is not impressed with an action by FC Barcelona playmaker Pedri in El Clásico against Real Madrid. According to the Ziggo Sport analyst, the Spanish international deserved a red card shortly before half-time. He is calling for a rule change.

With the score at 1-1, Pedri nipped a dangerous Real Madrid counterattack in the bud by blatantly holding Vinícius Júnior at the halfway line. The Barça midfielder received a yellow card from the referee for this, but according to Gullit, he should have been punished much more severely. "I think this is simply a red card," said the former top footballer at Ziggo Sport.

"This is deliberate, this is spoiling the game. It's not right," Gullit continued. "He gets a yellow card for this, but I think that in situations like this, deliberately stopping your opponent, you should be given a red card."

Gullit acknowledges that it was a 'tactical foul' by Pedri. "It's something to look at in terms of the rules of the game, but I think this smacks of a red card. You're taking away a chance. And Real Madrid doesn't really have an advantage. That yellow card won't bother Pedri."

Pedri received a second yellow card deep into injury time. Moreover, Real Madrid came out on top 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu.