(London) Sent off in an FA Cup game against Manchester United after shoving the referee who had just whistled a penalty for the Red Devils, Fulham’s Serbian international striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been suspended for eight matches, announced the English federation (FA) on Tuesday.
Coach Marco Silva, also expelled moments earlier for verbally attacking the referee, was suspended for two games.
Seemingly unhappy with the sanctions, the FA has announced its likely intention to appeal both decisions, although it is “awaiting written findings” from the committee before making a decision.
As the London club led 1-0 at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 19, Portuguese coach Marco Silva and Mitrovic were totally freaked out.
Referee Chris Kavanagh was called to the sidelines in the 72nd minute to watch footage of Jadon Sancho’s shot being deflected offhand by Fulham’s Brazilian Willian onto his goal line.
Even before he had made his decision, Silva had insulted him and the fourth referee, receiving a red card.
After seeing the footage, Kavanagh awarded the penalty and sent off Willian. Mitrovic then rushed towards him to jostle him and also yell at him. The Serb had to join the locker room and, at nine, his team ended up giving in 3-1.
Before an independent disciplinary committee, the English federation had considered that the automatic penalty of three matches for a direct red card was “clearly not sufficient” and it won its case.
For his gesture against the referee, the commission added three additional games of suspension and two more for his insulting and threatening remarks towards the referee after his expulsion, bringing the sanction to eight games.
The player, who was also fined 75,000 pounds ($126,000), has already served one game and will therefore only be able to play the last three rounds of the championship with his team.
Marco Silva, for his part, admitted having made threatening remarks, gestures and attitude towards the central referee and insulting remarks towards the fourth referee.
He also pleaded guilty to his post-match comments that questioned the impartiality of the officials, which earned him two games suspension from the bench and a fine of 40,000 pounds ($67,000) in total.
