Zlatan handed ban over Chelsea match red card
Sweden's star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will miss the first leg of his Paris Saint-Germain team's Champions League quarter-final after being banned for one match for his sending-off in the last round against Chelsea.
But his Ivory Coast team mate Serge Aurier will have to sit out three matches for his outburst criticising the match referee on social media.
Ibrahimovic was shown a straight red card by Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers in the 32nd minute of the second leg against Chelsea following a 50-50 challenge with Oscar, despite the fact that both players had seemed equally committed to the tackle.
The Swede is facing a further four-match suspension over comments he made about his host country at the end of last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Bordeaux.
Sweden's top striker in history took exception to some of the decisions made by referee Lionel Jaffredo and was furious at the final whistle when he stormed down the tunnel.
“In 15 years, I have never seen such a referee. In this shit country, this country does not deserve PSG. We are too good for this country,” the striker blasted.
Ibrahimovic later apologized for his remarks, saying “I expressed myself when I was upset and everyone knows that in these moments, the words surpass the meaning”.
Why Zlatan might think France is shit
The French league had initially said it would decide on Thursday whether or not to take sanctions over his outburst. But RMC Sport reported on Thursday afternoon that he would now be called to appear in front of a disciplinary committee on April 9th.
Swedish football hero Ibrahimovic makes headlines almost as much for his offhand comments as for his footballing prowess.
He has previously made remarks including "World Cup without me isn't worth watching" and mocked a local reporter who didn't have his own camera by asking “so it is low-budget?”.
He has become an icon for Paris fans and a wax effigy was unveiled at the Musee Grevin in Paris last month. But the latest trouble to hit the star could heighten speculation about his future at the club.
PSG will discover their quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday in Switzerland.
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But his Ivory Coast team mate Serge Aurier will have to sit out three matches for his outburst criticising the match referee on social media.
Ibrahimovic was shown a straight red card by Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers in the 32nd minute of the second leg against Chelsea following a 50-50 challenge with Oscar, despite the fact that both players had seemed equally committed to the tackle.
The Swede is facing a further four-match suspension over comments he made about his host country at the end of last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Bordeaux.
Sweden's top striker in history took exception to some of the decisions made by referee Lionel Jaffredo and was furious at the final whistle when he stormed down the tunnel.
“In 15 years, I have never seen such a referee. In this shit country, this country does not deserve PSG. We are too good for this country,” the striker blasted.
Ibrahimovic later apologized for his remarks, saying “I expressed myself when I was upset and everyone knows that in these moments, the words surpass the meaning”.
Why Zlatan might think France is shit
The French league had initially said it would decide on Thursday whether or not to take sanctions over his outburst. But RMC Sport reported on Thursday afternoon that he would now be called to appear in front of a disciplinary committee on April 9th.
PSG will discover their quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday in Switzerland.
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