Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has been given a
three-match touchline ban after a second ball was
thrown onto the field during Saturday's 1-0 victory over
Malaga.
Simeone was sent to the stands after the incident at
the Estadio Vicente Calderon, which occurred during a
Malaga counter-attack when the score was still 0-0.
Simeone said after the match that the ball had been
thrown by "a kid who was beside us," but he bore
ultimate responsibility for the incident under La Liga
rules and the Spanish FA (RFEF) announced on
Wednesday that he will be suspended for three
games.
A statement said the three-game ban had been
applied with reference to article 101.2 of the RFEF's
Disciplinary Code, which reads: "In the case that the
referee cannot identity directly the person responsible
[for throwing the ball onto the pitch], the first-team
coach of that person's club will be punished with a
ban of at least three games."
Simeone was also fined €3,005 (£2,330) and Atletico
were fined €1,050 (£815).
Atletico have only three league games remaining this
season, against Rayo Vallecano, Levante and Celta
Vigo, and are currently level on points with leaders
Barcelona, who have the edge on head-to-head record.
Simeone said in his postmatch news conference on
Saturday: "It's clear that the referee took the correct
decision, following the rules. He did what he had to do,
sending off the coach. It was a kid who was beside
us, but that does not change anything."
He added that he had sent on match-winner Angel
Correa as the result of being banished from the
dugout.
"You see things differently from higher up," he said. "I
was right to think about Correa, I saw that well."
