Next month’s match against Sunderland will not include the Preston North End striker.
Preston North End, Sunderland’s Championship opponents, have announced that striker Milutin Osmajic, who bit Blackburn Rovers player Owen Beck during last month’s Lancashire derby, will serve an eight-game suspension.
The Montenegro international grabbed attention when he was seen in an apparent attempt to bite the 22-year-old in the neck. Since then, Preston director Peter Ridsdale has stated that the club had already handed out a sanction to the player following an internal disciplinary process.
He stated, “We’ve already indicated to the player what we’re doing,” in an interview with talkSPORT. Naturally, I want to keep that inside the club, but rest assured that we as a football team don’t support it and that we’ve taken the proper steps.”
On Friday morning, word leaked out about the FA’s external decision on Osmajic’s behaviour. The forward was also told to pay a hefty fine. Preston North End has acknowledged the decision made by an independent regulatory commission to penalise striker Milutin Osmajic £15,000 and impose an eight-match suspension on him. The statement was posted on the club’s official website.
“After acknowledging that he had engaged in violent behaviour during the recent Sky Bet Championship game against Blackburn Rovers, the Montenegro international has been sanctioned.” Milutin’s suspension prevents him from being selected until Saturday, November 23, when the team plays at home against Derby County. PNE will refrain from commenting further until the written reasons of the independent Regulatory Commission are released.
Osmajic won’t be able to play until late November, thus the attacker won’t be present when Sunderland travels to Deepdale on November 6. The 25-year-old, who joined the Lilywhites in September after leaving Spanish team Cadiz, has scored five goals in 11 games this season in all competitions, including a brace in a 3-0 victory over Watford in the middle of the week. He has never struck in the Championship before. Osmajic failed not score against the Black Cats, despite playing a 21-minute cameo in Sunderland’s August loss to Preston in the EFL Cup first round.
His protracted ban is similar to that which was imposed on former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez in 2013 after Suarez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. The Uruguayan received a ten-match suspension.
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