Wolves manager Vítor Pereira has expressed his disappointment with forward Matheus Cunha’s actions following their 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on Monday.
Cunha headed straight to the tunnel at full-time, failing to acknowledge the traveling Wolves supporters. Pereira, clearly unimpressed, described the behavior as “unacceptable” and emphasized that such actions “cannot happen.”
“He’s a captain. He can be frustrated as he wants to win, but everyone in the dressing room wants to win. I don’t like his body language,” added Pereira.
“I want a captain to try to help the team with running, suffering and fighting together. But I understand it now – next time I won’t understand.”
Cunha, who has scored 10 league goals for Wolves this season, was recently banned for two games and fined £80,000 by the Football Association following a defeat at Ipswich Town in December.
The Brazil striker was charged with misconduct after he elbowed a member of the Ipswich staff before snatching his glasses off his face.
Wolves sacked Gary O’Neil as manager following the game and replaced him with Pereira.
Lemina will not play in transfer window – Pereira
Wolves manager Vítor Pereira has confirmed that midfielder Mario Lemina will not feature for the team while the January transfer window remains open.
Lemina, 31, has expressed a desire to leave the club and requested not to play in Wolves’ 3-0 defeat at Newcastle on January 15.
However, the Gabon international has since apologized to Pereira and his teammates, stating that he is “ready to do his best for the team” until a resolution is reached.
Currently 17th in the Premier League, Wolves are seeking £5 million for Lemina, who joined the club from Southampton two years ago.
Meanwhile, Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab have expressed interest in signing Lemina on a free transfer, a proposal Wolves have firmly rejected.
Pereira said: “For me, he is out until the end of the market and when the market closes, I will see if he is my player.
“If he is it will be a problem I solve because he is a good player, or he goes out and is not my problem.
“I don’t want a player with doubts. I cannot play with a player that has doubts in his mind. I want players committed with the project.
“He is training but at the moment the mind is not here because he still wants to move and go. I must be honest and say what happened. I will wait until the end of the market and see.”
The January transfer window is set to close at 23:00 GMT on Monday, February 3, with Wolves scheduled to host Arsenal and Aston Villa before the deadline.
Mario Lemina, who began the season as club captain, was stripped of the role by former manager Gary O’Neil following an altercation with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen after their 2-1 defeat at London Stadium. Despite the incident, O’Neil had stated that Lemina would “remain part of the squad’s leadership group.”
Since Vítor Pereira replaced O’Neil as manager on December 19, Lemina has seen limited action, featuring for only 31 minutes. His future at Wolves remains uncertain as the transfer deadline approaches.
“We can commit mistakes in life, I did some mistakes in my life,” said Pereira on Friday, when he revealed Lemina had apologised. “We must give him the opportunity to show in the act, not with words.
“I believe he spoke with his heart and he will try, I am here to see if he can or not. If he can help, OK; if he cannot, I prefer to go with another one who is committed.
“Mario has quality, he can bring us physicality in the midfield, technical quality. It depends on his mind. I hope until the end of the season or the end of the month he will be able to help us.”