JULIO ARCA has described the heartache he is going through after having his hopes of playing against former club Sunderland this weekend crumble around him.

The South American’s two-footed tackle, which did not make contact, on Coventry’s Sammy Clingan at the Ricoh Arena earned him a straight red card and a three-match ban.

It meant the excitement he was feeling ahead of Middlesbrough’s trip to the Stadium of Light on Sunday in the FA Cup suddenly turned to despair.

Arca, who spent six years on Wearside after moving there from Argentina in 2000, said: “It could not have been better. It is Sunderland v Boro at the Stadium of Light, a full house, it is going to be shown live in Argentina - so that’s even worse and my dad is gutted – but it is not going to happen for me. I still can’t really believe it.

“I am totally disappointed. This is probably our biggest game of the season and of course it meant more to me to play there but there is nothing I can do now.

“When the draw was made I didn’t see it but my phone was going crazy `ping, ping, ping’ with texts from people. I kept getting them from Sunderland fans saying `you’re playing us’ and of course I was absolutely delighted. It’s a great draw for Boro and a dream for me to go back there again.

“My friend from Argentina texted me and said things happen for a reason. I politely told him to get lost, but maybe he is right.”

Arca, 30, has seen the replays and still thinks a dismissal was harsh. He said: “I have seen tackles far worse just recently that have not even been a yellow card.

“I saw the referee run over and when I saw the other guy tell him I didn’t touch him, thought `yeah, yellow card’. I couldn’t see the card at first in the floodlights but when I turned my head and saw it was red, I couldn’t believe it. And of course, I knew straight away what it meant. And everything collapsed.”