Ivory Coast international Oumar Diakité has been suspended following his dismissal in Cercle Brugge’s game against Sporting Charleroi in the Belgian top-flight at the weekend.
Diakite received a straight red card in their clash against Sporting Charleroi in round 24 of the Belgian top-flight after a late challenge that immediately drew the attention of the referee.
Having lost control of the ball, the centre forward lunged in on Charleroi midfielder Khalifi, catching the Moroccan on the Achilles tendon and lower leg.
The severity of the tackle left the match official with little hesitation in dismissing the forward.
Following a detailed review of the footage and the referee’s report, the Disciplinary Committee of the Belgian Football Association delivered its ruling. Diakité has been handed a two-match ban, with an additional one-match suspension imposed but suspended, meaning it will only come into effect if he commits a similar offence within a specified period. In addition to the sporting sanctions, the Ivorian has also been fined €2,500.
As a result, Diakité will be unavailable for two key fixtures in Cercle Brugge’s calendar. He is set to miss the highly anticipated city derby against Club Brugge on February 15, as well as the challenging away trip to face La Gantoise on February 20. His absence is expected to be a blow for Cercle, given his importance to the attacking setup.
Despite the ruling, the door remains open for a potential appeal. Cercle Brugge are understood to be considering whether to contest the decision in the hope of reducing the length of the suspension or the financial penalty.
