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AS Monaco's Gelson Martins Given Six Month Ban For Pushing Ligue One Referee

AS Monaco's Gelson Martins Given Six Month Ban For Pushing Ligue One Referee

The Portuguese winger won't play again this season...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

AS Monaco winger Gelson Martins has been handed a six months ban for pushing a referee.

In a 3-1 defeat to Nimes last month, the Portugal international reacted angrily to referee Mikael Lesage's decision to send his teammate Tiemoue Bakayoko off due to a late tackle.

Martins himself was quickly shown a red card for pushing Lesage but put his hands on the official one more time, this time with even more force, before both sets of players had to restrain him and get him to leave the field.

And having been punished internally by his club for his conduct, The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) have suspended him for six months for what they deem to have been an act of "brutality".


A statement from the LFP read: "In light of the nature of the events, the Disciplinary Committee, on February 6, 2020, suspended the player as a precautionary measure.

"After examining the evidence and hearing the player's arguments, the Committee has decided to sanction Gelson Martins with a suspension of six months.

"That decision takes effect from February 6, 2020."

It means Monaco, who are currently in seventh place in the French top flight, will be without the 24-year old for the remainder of the campaign until next season comes about in August.

But for Martins personally, it could well end his hopes of featuring at the Euro 2020 given he won't exactly be match fit going into the tournament this summer.

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Topics: Football News, Football, AS Monaco