Aleksandar Mitrovic receives a red card from referee Chris Kavanagh during the FA Cup match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, March 19, 2023. /CFP
It was a rush of blood of the worst possible kind.
Fulham were on course to clinched an unlikely spot in the FA Cup semifinals at the expense of football behemoth Manchester United at Old Trafford after Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic gave them a sensational lead.
However, the match suddenly flipped when Fulham's Brazil winger Willian was shown a straight red card for deliberately blocking Jadon Sancho's shot with his arm while inside the area. It was a correct decision as United were denied a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during their FA Cup clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, March 19, 2023. /CFP
Nonetheless, the dismissal of Willian prompted furious outburst from Mitrovic, who aggressively pushed referee Chris Kavanagh and left the official with no option but to send him off. With only nine men remaining on the pitch, Fulham quickly suffered a meltdown as United comfortably staged a comeback and triumphed 3-1.
No one knows exactly what on earth had provoked Mitrovic's tantrum, but the 28-year-old paid a heavy price for this stunning lack of discipline as an independent regulatory commission on Tuesday handed him an eight-match ban for "violent conduct towards a match official" and "using language that was "improper, abusive, insulting and threatening."
Having already started the ban against Bournemouth over the weekend, Mitrovic has seven matches of the suspension to serve. And with only 10 games left in Fulham's Premier League season, the striker will be sidelined until the very end of the campaign.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (C) is restrained by Manchester United and Fulham players after being shown a red card during the FA Cup match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, March 19, 2023. /CFP
It could be even worse. Following the announcement, the Football Association declared that the sanctions were too "lenient" and it intends to appeal against the decisions of the commission, which means Mitrovic's ban might be extended into the next season.
In an emotional apology letter released earlier, Mitrovic said: "On a personal level, I regret my actions that led to me being sent off. I allowed my frustration to get the better of me, and how I reacted was wrong.
"I was trying to get the referee's attention, but I appreciate that I should not have put my hands on him and I understand why he showed me a red card, my first in-game sending off for Fulham and my first since the 2015-16 season.
"I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologize, and I have volunteered to accept a club fine. I now want to do what I can to put this incident behind me and get back to helping my teammates on the pitch as soon as possible."
Aleksandar Mitrovic (in white) stands in frustration inside the tunnel after being sent off during the FA Cup match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, March 19, 2023. /CFP
The Premier League games Mitrovic will miss
April 8: vs. West Ham
April 15: vs. Everton
April 22: vs. Leeds
April 25: vs. Aston Villa
April 30: vs. Manchester City
May 3: vs. Liverpool
May 8: vs. Leicester City
Some of the longest suspensions in Premier League
- 9 months, Eric Cantona, Manchester United, kick a fan in the crowd, January 1995
- 8 months, Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United, miss a drug test, January 2004
- 12 games, Joey Barton, Queens Park Rangers, hit several opponents on the pitch, May 2012
- 11 games, Paolo Di Canio, Sheffield Wednesday, push the match official to the floor, September 1998
- 10 games, Luis Suarez, Liverpool, bite an opponent on the arm, April 2013
- 8 games: Luis Suarez, Liverpool, racially abuse an opponent, December 2011