Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 8y

Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain banned for four games after pushing referee

Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain has been handed a four-game ban for his red card in his side's defeat to Udinese at the weekend.

The Argentina international, who has scored 30 goals in 31 Serie A appearances this season, was sent off by referee Massimiliano Irrati for a second bookable offence.

The 28-year-old then pushed the referee and had to be held back and led away from the field by his teammates and Napoli staff.

The two yellow cards carried an automatic one-game suspension while the Lega Serie A has added an additional three games due to his conduct before and while leaving the field.

"In addition [to the one-game ban for two yellow cards], in the moment of being sent off in the 31st minute of the second half, he [Higuain] made an offensive remark to the referee and made a disrespectful gesture towards him, facing up to him and placing both of his hands on his chest; for having, finally, assumed an aggressive attitude towards an opponent, while being held back by his own teammates," read a Lega Serie A disciplinary statement.

As a result, Higuian misses the Azzurri's games against Hellas Verona, Inter Milan, Bologna and also the potentially decisive trip to Roma on April 25. He has also been fined €20,000.

Napoli are expected to appeal the decision which has already been criticised.

Former Juve defender Alessio Tacchinardi said it was wrong to punish Higuain so severely, saying he had done no worse than Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci, who confronted referee Nicola Rizzoli during the Turin derby. Bonucci, however, did not receive more than a one-game ban for the yellow card he received and which took him to five for the season and carried an automatic suspension.

"I may have played for Juve, but I think I am objective and the Napoli fans are right about certain things," he told RAI radio.

"Two weeks ago, Bonucci -- and [Napoli coach Maurizio] Sarri is spot on about this -- cannot be allowed to get away with putting his head against the referee's.

"Just like Higuain cannot be allowed to put his hands on the referee, Bonucci should also have been sent off and both should be judged equally. I like to see these battles on the field, but I don't like it when I see certain differences in evaluation."

Higuain's brother, Nicolas, joined Tacchinardi in condemning the Lega Serie A's decision. "If the rules are the same for everybody, then Gonzalo should only get a one-match ban," he told Radio CRC.

"A few days ago, there was a Juventus player who swore at the referee and he got away without any punishment.

"[Gonzalo] was annoyed and disappointed. He'd never seen anything like it before -- getting two penalties given against them in ten minutes, the second of which was a dubious one."

Napoli have a four-point advantage over Roma in the battle for second place and an automatic berth in the group stage of the Champions League next season. The side finishing third will enter into the play-off round of the Champions League, with only one Italian club -- AC Milan in 2013 -- successfully passing that stage in the past six seasons.

Napoli were beaten by Athletic Bilbao in the 2014 playoff while Udinese were beaten by Arsenal and Sporting Braga in consecutive seasons after Sampdoria lost to Werder Bremen at that stage in 2010. Lazio lost out to Bayer Leverkusen last summer, having finished third last season.

Napoli coach Sarri has also been handed a one-game touchline ban after being sent into the stands in the 27th minute of Sunday's game after "repeating insulting remarks" to the refereeing team.

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