Paris Saint-Germain’s sporting director Leonardo was suspended for nine months by the French league on Thursday for barging a referee just outside the tunnel following a home match - a punishment the club will appeal.
Leonardo was already provisionally suspended by the LFP for appearing to deliberately shoulder-barge Alexandre Castro after the French champions’ 1-1 home draw against Valenciennes on May 5.
The LFP league’s disciplinary committee met again on Thursday before the committee’s president Pascal Garibian delivered the verdict.
“The committee’s task was to decide whether the shoulder barge was intentional. The committee retained this notion,” Garibian said. “The committee judges acts, players, and people independently of a club’s notoriety.”
In a separate statement, the LFP said that Leonardo’s ban covers “the bench, the referee’s dressing room and all official functions” adding that the club itself has also been given a suspended three-point penalty for next season.
“Paris Saint-Germain considers this decision to be unjustified and extremely harsh,” PSG said in a statement. “As a result, and in solidarity with (Leonardo), Paris Saint-Germain will appeal this decision.”
