Espanyol players handed bans

Espanyol have been unsuccessful in their defence of Hector Moreno and Sergio Garcia, with the duo picking up two and four-match bans respectively.

The Competition Committee confirmed that the pair, who were dismissed in the closing stages of their team’s defeat to Valencia, will face these sanctions.

Moreno picks up a two-match ban for calling the match officials ‘crazy’ during the 88th minute of the game, when Los Che were awarded a penalty for a handball offence. The defender is cited under Article 117 of the RFEF’s Disciplinary Code for ‘contempt or disregard’ in actions that are not ‘serious’ and constitute a ban from two to three games or up to a month.

Garcia, in the same incident, was noted by the referee to have addressed him as a ‘crook’ and picks up a four-game suspension.

Garcia’s ban is longer as he is cited under Article 94 of the RFEF’s Disciplinary Code for ‘insulting, offending or acting in behaviour or attitude insulting the referee, assistants, fourth official, managers or sporting authorities, constituting a most serious offence, punishable by suspension of four to 12 games’.

Espanyol issued a brief statement in reaction to the bans, labelling them as disproportionate and questioning why Garcia was cited under a different Article to Moreno.

Meanwhile, for accumulated yellow cards, several one-match suspensions have also been confirmed. Valencia lose Roberto Soldado and Victor Ruiz for this weekend’s trip to Malaga, whilst Athletic Bilbao’s Aritz Aduriz, Sevilla’s Gary Medel and Rayo Vallecano’s Jose Manuel Casado and Alejandro Galvez are all also out.

One-match bans for sendings off last weekend are handed to Deportivo’s Dani Aranzubia, Levante’s Pedro Lopez, Atletico Madrid’s Mario Suarez and Real Betis’ Ruben Perez.

Tags Hector Moreno Sergio Garcia
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