A goalkeeper for Diego Maradona's Al Wasl club has been banned for 17 matches after attacking an opposing coach following a 1-0 loss to Al Alhi in the Etisalat Cup semifinals.
The United Arab Emirates Football Association imposed the lengthy ban after Majed Naser slapped Al Alhi coach Quique Sanches Flores on the back of the head following Sunday's defeat.
Al Wasl had already suspended Naser indefinitely.
The UAE FA's disciplinary committee subsequently imposed the ban and fined Naser $8,167.
Al Wasl declined to comment on the ban but issued a statement condemning the attack, saying "this type of behavior not only damages the reputation of the individual but is also detrimental to the image of the club."
Maradona's current club took swift and decisive action banning Majed Nasser for 17 matches for his “violent act” against the manager of Al Ahli in the fractious Etisalat Cup semi-final clash.
The board of directors handed out the punishment yesterday following the incident on Sunday night which saw Nasser slap Quique Sanchez Flores on the back of his head after the 1-0 defeat.
The club initially suspended the player indefinitely on Sunday night and the keeper, who played for the UAE in the 4-2 victory over Lebanon last month, went to the house of Sanchez Flores after the game to apologise for his behaviour.
According to a Wasl official, the Spaniard accepted the apology.
The goalkeeper, 27, also issued a statement through the Dubai club, saying: “I offer my apologies to the President of Al Wasl Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum and Vice President Sheikh Majed for my behaviour. I would also like to sincerely apologise to all Al Wasl fans.”
Wasl condemned his actions.
“This type of behaviour not only damages the reputation of the individual, but is also detrimental to the image of the club as a whole, and will not be tolerated. Players are considered a reflection of the club and are therefore expected to be role models of Al Wasl’s values and ethics.”
“Everybody saw what happened and it was all there on TV,” said Abdulmajeed Hussain, the director of Ahli’s first team. “I don’t want to talk about it because the case is under process now. The Football Association and the Professional League Committee are there, they have all the evidence.”
Nasser was punished for a similar offence in 2007 when he struck a linesman during a match against Al Jazira. He was initially banned for 13 matches, but the suspension was reduced to five games on appeal.
On Sunday night, Nasser charged at Sanchez Flores, who was celebrating with his players, slapping him from behind.
He had to be restrained by Wasl training staff, including Diego Maradona, the Wasl coach, who acted as peacemaker.
“I didn’t see it, but it felt like a camera was pushing my head,” Sanchez Flores, the former Atletico Madrid coach, said after the game.
“Then I saw that it was the goalkeeper, and I did not know the reason because I didn’t do anything to incite a push. I didn’t deserve this. I have never done anything in my life to receive a push. I am fine, but I don’t like it. I have messages on my phone from people in Spain asking what happened, what happened in Arabian football, is the goalkeeper crazy? It is a strange situation.”
Al Ahli’s Luis Jimenez was handed a one-match ban in January for butting the referee in a Pro League game against Jazira.
“I think this is bad for football in general, very bad for Arabian football in particular, and I hope there will be a fine for this player [Nasser],” Sanchez Flores said
