Aleksandar Mitrović banned for 8 matches following incident with referee against Manchester United

Marco Silva has also received a two-match touchline suspension for the red card he recieved in the same game.

BANNED: Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has received an eight-match ban following his sending-off in the club’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United, the Football Association has announced. Issue date: Tuesday April 4, 2023. PA Photo. See PA Story SOCCER Fulham. Photo credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Aleksandar Mitrović has been banned for eight matches following the incident with the referee during Fulham's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United last month.

The Serbian forward was dismissed after confronting the official following his decision to award United a penalty in Fulham's recent 3-1 loss in the cup quarter-final at Old Trafford.

His manager - Marco Silva - will also serve a two-match touchline suspension after he was shown a red card for expressing his unhappiness at the same decision.

"Fulham FC, Marco Silva and Aleksandar Mitrović have been sanctioned by an independent Regulatory Commission following a hearing in relation to their tie against Manchester United in The FA Cup on Sunday 19 March," a statement released by the FA reads.

"We (Fulham) claimed the standard punishment which would otherwise apply to Aleksandar Mitrović for the sending-off offence of violent conduct that he committed towards the match referee around the 72nd minute was clearly insufficient.

"The forward denied this, but it was upheld by the Regulatory Commission, and a three-match ban was imposed. This is in addition to the three-match ban he had already received for the red card offence.

"The forward separately admitted that his behaviour and language after being sent off was improper, abusive, insulting and threatening, and the Regulatory Commission imposed an additional two-match ban and £75,000 fine.

"In total, the Regulatory Commission has suspended Aleksandar Mitrović for eight matches. One of these has already been served, and therefore the forward will be unavailable for Fulham FC’s next seven matches.

"Marco Silva admitted that he used abusive and insulting words, gestures and behaviour towards the match referee around the 72nd minute; that he used abusive and insulting words towards the fourth official before being sent off; and that he used abusive and insulting words, gestures and behaviour towards the fourth official after being dismissed.

"However, he denied that he threw a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee and that his behaviour in doing so was improper. The Regulatory Commission upheld the outstanding charge against him, and imposed a two-match touchline ban and a £20,000 fine.

"The manager also admitted that comments he made in the post-match press conference constitute improper conduct in that they imply bias, question the integrity of the match official, and bring the game into disrepute. As a result, the Regulatory Commission imposed an additional £20,000 fine."

In a statement, the FA indicated it plans to appeal against both Mitrovic and Silva’s punishments.