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Aleksandar Mitrovic banned for EIGHT matches! Fulham striker handed heavy punishment for grabbing referee during Man Utd clash.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has been given an eight-game ban for grabbing referee Chris Kavanagh during his team’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United.
The FA confirmed their verdict on Tuesday evening, with Cottagers manager Marco Silva being punished with a two-game touchline suspension for his emotional reaction to the incident.
Silva reacted angrily after his teammate Willian was shown a red card for handball on the line. After Kavanagh pointed to the spot, Mitrovic also confronted the official, eventually pushing him and earning a red card of his own. Later, he would bizarrely claim he was simply trying to get the referee’s attention.
“We claimed the standard punishment which would otherwise apply to Aleksandar Mitrović for the sending-off offence of violent conduct that he committed towards the match referee around the 72nd minute was clearly insufficient. The forward denied this, but it was upheld by the Regulatory Commission, and a three-match ban was imposed,” an FA statement read.
“This is in addition to the three-match ban he had already received for the red card offence. The forward separately admitted that his behaviour and language after being sent off was improper, abusive, insulting and threatening, and the Regulatory Commission imposed an additional two-match ban and £75,000 fine. In total, the Regulatory Commission has suspended Aleksandar Mitrović for eight matches. One of these has already been served, and therefore the forward will be unavailable for Fulham FC’s next seven matches.”
The announcement is a major setback for the Cottagers, who are presently in with a remote chance of playing in Europe next season.
Their offensive talisman is now set to miss games against the likes of Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool. Responding to the decision, the FA indicated their desire to appeal the sanction, likely as they feel Mitrovic should face an even longer ban for his action.