Monaco winger Gelson Martins sees season cut short after being banned for SIX MONTHS for pushing referee in Ligue 1 loss to Nimes
- Gelson Martins has been handed a six-month ban for pushing a referee by LFP
- The AS Monaco winger was incensed after Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off
- He then pushed the referee and will now sit out for the remainder of the season
Gelson Martins has been slapped with a six-month ban after the Monaco midfielder pushed the referee in defeat to Nimes.
The Portuguese international was shown a straight red card last month for pushing match referee Mikael Lesage having taken issue with a red card for team-mate Tiemoue Bakayoko moments prior.
Bakayoko was dismissed for a hazardous tackle and having pushed Lesage once to express his annoyance, Martins bizarrely produced an even harder push once he had been sent off.
Gelson Martins will serve a six-month suspension after being sent off for pushing a referee
The moment of madness means the Portuguese international is now likely to miss Euro 2020
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) which acts as a disciplinary panel in French football felt the ‘brutality’ of the situation merited a hefty six-month suspension to end the 24-year-old’s season early.
‘After examining the file and hearing the player, the commission has decided to sanction Gelson Martins with a closed six-month ban,’ the statement by the LFP read. This decision is effective from February 6.’
The consequence of the ban means Martins will not play again for Martins this season and is now likely to be excluded from Euro 2020 selection.
Roberto Moreno will have to do without the winger for the remainder of the Ligue 1 campaign
Martins had expressed his regret at the pushes on the referee soon after the match and the club had hoped that his previously clean disciplinary record would have acted in his favour come the judgement of the LFP.
Monaco are currently seventh in Ligue 1 and will now chase down the six-point deficit on fourth-placed LOSC Lille without Martins.
So far this season, Martins produced four goals and one assist from his 23 appearances.
Share this article
Source: Read Full Article