FA’s bid to extend Mitrovic’s eight-game ban for pushing referee is rejected

The Football Association’s appeal to extend the eight-game ban handed to Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic for pushing the referee Chris Kavanagh has been rejected.

The FA’s request was dismissed by an independent appeal board on Friday. The governing body had also sought to increase the punishment handed to the Fulham manager, Marco Silva, for his behaviour in the same game as Mitrovic’s push, away to Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final last month.

Mitrovic has served three matches on his eight-game ban, while Silva is now free to return to the touchline for the visit of Leeds on Saturday after serving his two-match suspension. The manager had admitted using abusive and insulting words or behaviour towards Kavanagh. On top of his ban, Silva was fined £20,000.

Silva was sent off alongside Mitrovic during a chaotic few minutes in Fulham’s defeat at Old Trafford after Willian had also received a red card for a handball on his own goalline.

Silva said he never wants to experience another touchline ban. “It (the touchline) is my place, it’s where I should be always. Of course, it’s really important for me – for all the managers – to be there. Of course, it was another moment for me to look [at the game] in a different way to improve, but it will be good.

“As you know[even while serving the ban] I was always with my players. Before the match, after the match, to share the feelings with the players on the touchline is always important.”

He added: “Of course the vision [view] is completely different but it’s something that I would like to not experience again.”

A Fulham statement read: “The club is surprised that the FA decided to bring these appeals, however we are pleased that the Appeal Board has now dismissed them in