Leeds' Bamford gets two-game ban for deceiving referee
(Reuters) - Leeds United’s Patrick Bamford has been banned for two games for deceiving the referee during their 1-1 Championship draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, the Football Association (FA) has said.
Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi was shown a red card following an altercation with Bamford in the second half after Mateusz Klich had opened the scoring with a Villa player down injured.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa then asked his players to allow Villa to score unopposed when the game was restarted.
The FA, who rescinded El Ghazi’s red card on Wednesday, said Bamford was found guilty of “improper conduct” that had led to his opponent being dismissed.
“Patrick Bamford will serve a two-match suspension with immediate effect following a charge from the FA for ‘successful deception of a match official,’” the FA said in a statement.
“Whilst the forward denied the charge, it was subsequently found proven during an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing today (May 2).”
Bamford will miss Leeds’ final game of the season at Ipswich Town on Sunday as well as their playoff semi-final first leg.
Leeds and Villa have until Friday to respond to a separate charge of failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion in the second half.
After Messi mauling Liverpool face reunion with Benitez
Shaken by the brilliance of Lionel Messi and a 3-0 Champions League defeat in Barcelona, Liverpool know that anything but a Premier League win at Newcastle United on Saturday would leave their dreams of honours this season in tatters.
The second-leg of their semi-final with Barcelona awaits at Anfield on Tuesday with Juergen Klopp’s side needing a comeback of Istanbul proportions if they are to reach the final.
If the scoreline in Spain felt a harsh reflection on Liverpool’s efforts on the night, there is a similar feeling about their Premier League campaign.
Klopp’s side have lost just once all season but unless leaders Manchester City slip up in their final two games – at home to Leicester City on Monday and then at Brighton and Hove Albion – the Merseysiders will have to settle for second place.
“We’ve obviously got to bounce back first for the weekend, pick ourselves up again after this disappointment,” said Liverpool midfielder James Milner.
