Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been hit with an eight-game suspension for his push on referee Chris Kavanagh during Fulham’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester United.
Mitrovic was shown a straight red card by referee Chris Kavanagh after he confronted the official by grabbing Kavanagh’s arm while protesting the sending-off of his teammate Willian and head coach Marco Silva at Old Trafford.
A statement by Fulham read: “Following a hearing in relation to our FA Cup tie with Manchester United last month, an Independent Regulatory Commission has decided that:
- Aleksandar Mitrovic should be suspended for a total of eight games, one of which he has already served. He should also pay a £75,000 fine;
- Marco Silva should serve a touchline ban for two games, and pay a £20,000 fine for the incident which saw him sent off;
- Marco Silva should pay a separate £20,000 fine for his media comments after the match;
- The club should be fined £40,000 for the failure to prevent its players surrounding the referee.”
The News is a huge blow for the Cottagers, who are due to face West Ham, Everton, Leeds, Aston Villa and Manchester City in April, Liverpool and Leicester in May without their attacking talisman, who has already missed the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth as a part of his initial suspension.
Fulham will have just three games remaining when Mitrovic is back from suspension, which will leave him with possible appearances against Southampton, Crystal Palace and Manchester United before the season comes to an end.