TOTTENHAM midfielder Mousa Dembele is facing a 10-game ban for his attempt to eye-gouge Chelsea’s Diego Costa during the explosive 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.
The first-half flashpoint was missed by referee Mark Clattenburg – but is being treated as an “extraordinary event” – leaving the way clear for the FA to throw the book at Belgian Dembele.
The Sun reports: “FA chiefs are classing the incident in the same bracket as Luis Suarez’s infamous bite on Blues ace Branislav Ivanovic.
“Ex-Liverpool star Suarez was given a 10-match suspension for chomping Ivanovic’s arm in 2013.”
The match, which ended Spurs’ Premier League title hopes, was overshadowed by running battles on the pitch and three separate scraps involving players and staff.
Tottenham will incur an automatic £25,000 fine for having nine players cautioned – and may also be charged after some fans lobbed missiles at Chelsea’s Eden Hazard as he celebrated scoring the equaliser.
However, it is thought there will be no action against Kyle Walker, Cesc Fabregas, Costa or any other player who lost their heads.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino will be relieved that Erik Lamela is also set to escape punishment for treading on Blues midfielder Fabregas, while Spurs left-back Danny Rose, who sparked the first brawl after clashing with Willian, said he was sorry for how the game may have looked to young viewers.
Do Dembele’s actions deserve a 10-match ban?
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Anon
May 5, 2016 at 5:37 am
Costa pushed his face into Vertonghen’s and when Verts tried to pull Costa away from a mele, Costa bit Vertonghen’s hand, why hasn’t he been charged.
Fabrigas lashed out and tried to kick Dembele after the ball was taken off him and yet nothing.
I hope if the ban is unfair, Costa didn’t make anything of the incident basically because there was no ‘gouge’, although his attempt to stop Costa pinching his back should not have involved a hand to face reaction.
I hope Levy will take the FA to court, as did Sugar, and get the ban overturned if it is deemed to be unfair, this will make the FA look foolish, which will not be to hard to do.
victo67
May 6, 2016 at 10:37 pm
Rightly said Anon..yes there was a hand to face placing..but there was no gouging..as Costa did not roll down in pain or did a fake. . It takes 2 to tangle..when provication was there. If charged..take up d case against FA.
DEMBELLE ..in his past records ..was not a violent player.