Western Sydney captain Marcelo faces a lengthy ban for putting Adelaide wunderkind Nestory Irankunda in a headlock during a spiteful Isuzu UTE A-League encounter.
Marcelo’s action meant he was referred directly to Football Australia’s Independent Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.
The centre-back received a straight red card as the end of Adelaide’s 3-2 win over Western Sydney on Friday night descended into a fracas.
Marcelo came from behind and placed Irankunda in a stranglehold after the 17-year-old shoved Western Sydney midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof following a cynical foul.
The flashpoint triggered an all-in fracas.
The Wanderers captain then repeated the same action on Lachlan Barr, pulling the Reds defender in close with his arm firmly wrapped around his neck. Marcelo also reached out to make contact with the back of Ben Halloran’s head, before then grabbing United full-back Javi Lopez in a similar vice.Â
On Tuesday, the Football Australia (FA) match review panel determined Marcelo had committed three separate offences of “assault on a player (eg violent conduct when not challenging for the ball) or against any other person other than a match official, including attempted assault”.
“The MRP has referred the matter to the Independent Disciplinary and Ethics Committee for hearing and determination of what additional sanction should be imposed in addition to the mandatory match suspension which must always be served,” FA said in a statement.
Offences considered to be worth a suspension of more than four games are sent directly to the committee, while the minimum sanction for assault on a player is two games.
Meanwhile, Wanderers coach Marko Rudan has not been suspended for criticising referee Shaun Evans.
Rudan had queried why Evans didn’t dismiss Irankunda and Adelaide defender Lachlan Barr, who “sprinted from 50 metres” to push Marcelo.
“It’s retaliation. Does a player have to fall over in order for it to be a red card?” Rudan said.
“What Calem did, he did and he got a yellow card for it.
“But Irankunda shoves him twice, but because Calem holds his feet … nothing.
“That’s why Marcelo got involved because of the retaliation from Irankunda.
“Shaun doesn’t take control in that moment, and then the melee starts and that was the issue I’ve got.
“A stronger referee wouldn’t let that happen, we didn’t get consistency there today.
“What irks me is the lack of consistency with the officiating.”
While confirming Rudan had not been suspended, FA defended Evans’ handling of the situation.
“Football Australia notes comments made by Western Sydney Wanderers’ coach Marko Rudan about Friday’s centre match official,” FA said in a statement.
“All clubs and coaches are aware of the appropriate channels to provide any constructive feedback on officials.
“The unsavoury scenes involving a number of players during the Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Adelaide United FC match, which have no place in our game, were not due to the actions of the official, who should in fact be commended for the way in which he handled the situation.”
