Fulham FC striker Aleksandar Mitrović has been suspended for eight games following his physical altercation with referee Chris Kavanagh during the team’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United.
In addition to denying the charge of violent conduct and already receiving a three-match ban, the FA issued him with an additional three-match ban for his behavior and language after being sent off.
The striker was also fined £75,000. The FA imposed a touchline ban and a fine of £20,000 on the team’s coach, Marco Silva, who admitted to using abusive and insulting words and behavior towards the match referee.
Fulham FC was fined £40,000 for failing to ensure its players behaved in an orderly manner.
Several other footballers have also been suspended for falling foul of officials, including Luis Suárez, who famously received a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanović in 2013.
Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday’s Paolo Di Canio was given an 11-match ban in 1998 for pushing a referee to the ground.
Mitrović and Silva both apologized for their actions and expressed regret in their statements. Fulham FC listed the sanctions against Mitrović, Silva, and the club without any further comments.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin described Barcelona’s refereeing scandal as “extremely serious.”
