League against Sturm

Penalty hammer! Schicker has a month’s “break”

Wild scenes after the final whistle - now the league took action.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

A wrestling match instead of a soccer match! The scenes at the end of the Easter Sunday match between Sturm and Salzburg (0:1), when a mass brawl broke out, occupied the penalty senate of the Bundesliga on Tuesday evening. The verdicts hit SK Sturm particularly hard ...

Sturm was represented via video link to once again clarify its position on the red cards imposed by referee Ebner on Lavalée, Stankovic and sporting director Schicker (and the red that was not imposed after an obvious "choke" by Salzburg's Solet).

However, this did the Blacks little good, as the league took action. But only against Sturm: Jon Stankovic was suspended for two games - Bulls opponent Gourna-Douath, who had started the scuffle and grabbed the ball, also got two games, but one suspended. Like Sturm's Dimitri Lavalée. Who is missing from the punishment - to the incomprehension of many? Salzburg's Omer Solet! His chokehold on Stankovic, who was lying on the ground, was not charged at all.

Schicker kneeling in front of referee Ebner.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Functional suspension
The one who was punished really harshly was Sturm's Andreas Schicker: The sporting director, who knelt in front of referee Ebner after the game, was fined 2,000 euros and given a one-month suspension and is now not allowed to have any contact with the team for 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after a game. Schicker, who received the same punishment as Rapid managing director Hofmann after his scandalous statements against Austria, has been suspended for six matches. Official return only three games before the end of the league against Hartberg. Sturm accepts the verdicts against the players. Sporting director Schicker considers further steps.

Salzburg's Lucas Gourna-Douath has to sit out one match and has been given a suspended ban for a further game. All three players involved in the scuffle will therefore miss the ÖFB Cup semi-final clash between the two teams in Wals-Siezenheim on Thursday.

Lucas Gourna-Douath (r.) saw red against Sturm Graz.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Suspension for Avdijaj
Hartberg professional Donis Avdijaj, who was sent off with a yellow-red card against Rapid, also received a one-match ban plus a further match, meaning he will have to sit out at least two games. Avdijaj was reported to Senate 1 by the Bundesliga disciplinary prosecutor after he made a provocative gesture following his exclusion. The disciplinary prosecutor was able to take action because the action took place outside the referee's field of vision and the VAR could no longer have taken action as Avdijaj had already been sent off.