Boca Juniors pair Ander Herrera and Nicolas Figal handed four-match Club World Cup bans
Boca Juniors pair Ander Herrera and Nicolas Figal have been handed four-match bans after being sent off in the Argentine club's opening game of the Club World Cup against Benfica on Monday.
Herrera was dismissed after grappling with a member of tournament staff as he tried to confront the referee towards the end of the first half, while Figal was shown also shown a straight red card for a foul on Florentino Luis in the 88th-minute.
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FIFA confirmed the suspensions due to breaches of federation's disciplinary code on Friday, with Herrara sanctioned due to unsportsmanlike conduct and Figal for violent conduct.
Herrera and Figal will miss Boca's remaining group games against Bayern Munich and Auckland City, and will also sit out the last-16 and quarter-final, should they progress that far.
Benfica's Andrea Belotti was also dismissed during a bad-tempered 2-2 draw at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and he has been given a two-match suspension for serious foul play. He will miss their final group stage fixtures against Auckland City and Bayern Munich.
Herrera 35, clashed with a member of tournament staff as he tried to approach referee Cesar Arturo Ramos midway through a video review on the touchline late in the first half.
Ramos was sent to the pitch-side monitor by the video assistant referee with Benfica 2-0 down, and subsequently awarded the Portuguese club a penalty – converted by Angel Di Maria.
Herrera had already been substituted after going off injured in the 20th-minute and was shown a straight red card when the referee was informed of his behaviour.
Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia gave Boca a 2-0 lead against Benfica in Miami, but Di Maria halved the deficit from the spot before Nicolas Otamendi's late leveller in the second half.
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