- Guardiola Handed Two Match Touchline Ban After FA Cup Booking
- Manchester City boss will miss West Ham clash and FA Cup quarter final.
- Suspension will not affect Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola will serve a two match touchline ban after receiving a yellow card during Manchester City’s FA Cup victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
The booking was Guardiola’s sixth caution of the season and automatically triggered a suspension under the rules of the The Football Association.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Guardiola was cautioned following a heated exchange with fourth official Lewis Smith during the match. The incident occurred after Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier fouled City winger Jérémy Doku, prompting the City manager to protest on the touchline. Referee Sam Barrott issued the yellow card shortly afterwards.
The City boss was also seen applauding sarcastically after Omar Marmoush scored to make it 3 to 1 during the encounter.
Under current regulations, managers receive a one match touchline ban after every three yellow cards accumulated in a season. New disciplinary rules introduced this campaign stipulate that a sixth caution results in a two match suspension.
As a result, Guardiola will not be on the touchline when Manchester City face West Ham United in the Premier League next weekend.
He will also miss City’s FA Cup quarter final scheduled for the first weekend of April.
However, the suspension will not affect the Carabao Cup Final on March 22 between Manchester City and Arsenal. FA guidelines exempt finals from automatic touchline bans resulting from accumulated cautions.
Guardiola will therefore be allowed to take his place in the dugout for that match. The suspension will also not apply to City’s UEFA Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
Reacting to the development, Guardiola said, “I will tell you something, we have all the records in this country, all of them, despite everything. We have the record of the manager with the most yellow cards. I want all records and now I have them.
“Two-game ban now and I will go on holidays the next two games. There are things that I cannot understand after 10 years.
“Review the action. Of course, I’m going to defend Doku and all my teams.”
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