Luis Suárez gets one-match ban for robbery sign v Porto, Sporting decide | OneFootball

Luis Suárez has been handed a one-match suspension for the “theft gesture” in Sporting - Porto (1-0), in the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals, and will miss the home game against Santa Clara in the Liga Portugal Betclic, scheduled for the 3rd. The sanction corresponds to the minimum penalty set out in article 157 of the Disciplinary Regulations, which provides for suspensions of between one and four matches for “players who make threatening gestures or gestures revealing indignity towards the refereeing team”. The Lions are not expected to appeal the decision.

Porto had filed a complaint against the Colombian forward, not only for the gesture, but also for two incidents involving Bednarek. The Disciplinary Board partially dismissed the case, clearing Suárez over the situations involving the Porto centre-back and bringing charges only in relation to the gesture. The Dragons wanted a two-match suspension and summary proceedings, but the Board rejected that framework because it was not based on official reports.

According to the disciplinary documents, none of the referees present at the match saw the gesture in question. Sporting’s legal department will still review the case, but the most likely scenario is that there will be no appeal, especially since the offence is recorded on video.

Luis Suárez is currently with the Colombia national team in the United States, and would hardly have trained more than once before the clash with Santa Clara. The suspension could therefore allow him to arrive fresher for the match against Arsenal, the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, scheduled for 7 April at Alvalade.

With Fotis Ioannidis still injured, Rui Borges will have only Rafael Nel and Lucas Anjos as attacking options against the Azoreans. The match is scheduled for Friday, 3 April, at 8:30 pm, at the José Alvalade Stadium.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.