Matip ban overturned

Schalke’s Europa League aspirations have been given a boost after Joel Matip’s red card against Twente was overturned on appeal.

The 20-year-old was sent off after a foul on striker Luuk de Jong, but replays showed the Cameroon international did not make contact with the Dutchman.

Twente benefitted greatly from the decision, scoring the resulting penalty and winning the first leg 1-0, leaving members of the Schalke hierarchy fuming.

Matip, however, was allowed to play in the return leg when the appeal was suspended, and UEFA confirmed on Friday he will face no further punishment.

Having turned around the tie against Twente with a 4-1 win in the second leg, Schalke will face Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals, with the first leg to be played in Gelsenkirchen on March 29.