Brazilian striker banned 6 months for headbutt
Bastia striker Brandao has been slapped with a six-month ban for head-butting Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta.
The Brazilian was initially handed a provisional suspension after he ambushed Motta in the tunnel following PSG's 2-0 win at the Parc de Princes last month, leaving the Brazil-born Italian with a bloodied and broken nose.
The incident was captured on CCTV cameras.
Brandao will now miss at least 24 Ligue 1 matches after he was found guilty of "an inexcusable and unjustified assault" by a French football league disciplinary hearing chaired by Sebastien Deneux and banned till Feb 21 next year.
Criminal charges
He is also facing a possible fine and jail term after he was hit with criminal charges of premeditated assault in a sporting arena.
The 34-year-old will appear in court on Nov 3.
After the two-hour long hearing, the player's lawyer Olivier Martin, who claims Brandao have received racist insults, said: "Today we explained the reasons why he committed this act, the provocations he faced from the player and even the crowd, the psychological conditions involved when he came off the pitch.
"We explained and showed to the commission that there was no premeditation in this gesture, that it was a reflex response to the stress and frustration he faced."
Source: AFP
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
