Look at Embolo. Broken, supported by his teammates, unable to hold back the tears. The bitter cry of someone who feels something was taken away from him.
For him, it was an injustice. He felt the contact, went down, and expected a foul in his favor. Instead, the referee —after the VAR— ruled that he had simulated, showed him a second yellow card, and sent him off. Switzerland were down to ten against the world champions, and their top scorer was out, watching the dream slip away from the touchline.
He swears he did not exaggerate. The referee said otherwise. And in that abyss between what one feels and what the rules dictate lies all the helplessness of football.
His teammates hugged him, but there are pains no embrace can reach. The pain of leaving like that, singled out, feeling that the decision condemning you is the wrong one.
