Chelsea have been hit with shock suspension to star winger Pedro Neto.
The club informed of this on Friday afternoon.
Pedro Neto was sent off 12 days ago against Arsenal after receiving two yellow cards.
He received a one game ban and missing the Premier League match against Villa three days later.
However, Friday has brought the news that Pedro Neto has been handed a further one match suspension and a fine for “misconduct”, because instead of swiftly leaving the pitch after his red card against Arsenal, he instead hung around to give abuse to the match officials.
The FA announcing on Friday that Pedro Neto has been suspended for the Newcastle United match and fined.
The FA official statement reading: “Pedro Neto has been given a one-match suspension and a £70,000 fine for misconduct that occurred after he was sent off in Chelsea’s Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday, 1 March. It was alleged that the player acted in an improper manner by failing to leave the pitch promptly and/or using abusive words towards the match official/s following his dismissal in the 70th minute. Pedro Neto subsequently admitted the charge against him.”
An independent Regulatory Commission have imposed these sanctions after a hearing.
Pedro Neto is one of Chelsea’s better players but isn’t doing himself any favours.
His embarrassing ballboy incident in Paris in midweek, could yet see him miss the second leg of their Champions League tie.
During the 5-2 hammering by PSG, Pedro Neto pushed a ballboy over, somehow missing any punishment from the match officials.
The player tried to get out of the mess he had caused by giving the ballboy his match worn shirt after the game.
However, UEFA have launched disciplinary proceedings and the winger could be set to get a suspension for that incident as well.