Benfica midfielder Augustin Binya has been banned for six UEFA matches following his red card for a high challenge on Scott Brown in a recent Champions League match against Celtic. This is the correct decision on what can truly be described using that oft-thrown around term — horror tackle. As we showed in an earlier post, Binya was clearly looking to inflict some hurt on Brown and was successful in doing so. Six games seems a sufficient punishment for this sort of violent act.
Benfica can appeal against the decision. However, if they are unsuccessful Binya will miss Benfica’s remaining Champions League Group D matches against AC Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk. Benfica will then have to cope without Binya for their next four matches in Europe, which could be in the latter stages of this season’s Champions League or UEFA Cup. The ban will also carry over to future seasons if, as seems likely, Benfica finish bottom of Group D and bow out of Europe for this campaign.
