Hannibal Mejbri could face 12-match ban as statement released after Leeds fury
Hannibal Mejbri could be set for a lengthy ban after an incident in Leeds’ defeat to Burnley.
Back in October, Leeds suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Burnley, in one of their four losses from their previous five fixtures.
Lesley Ugochukwu opened the scoring for the hosts before Loum Tchaouna doubled the Clarets’ advantage to seal all three points.
The result brought plenty of disgruntlement among the travelling support, but an incident involving Hannibal was the talking point.
Leeds United supporters involved in incident with Hannibal
Not long after the game concluded, it was alleged that Hannibal spat towards the Leeds United supporters, though footage shared was far from definitive.
However, Leeds fans were evidently furious in the stands.
On 11 November, the FA released a statement in regard to Hannibal that acknowledged the incident.
It reads: “Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri has been charged with misconduct following their Premier League fixture against Leeds United on Saturday, 18 October.
“It is alleged the player acted in breach of the laws of the game and/or in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or indecent behaviour by spitting at or in the direction of Leeds United supporters around the 67th minute.
“Hannibal Mejbri has until Friday, 28 November to provide a response.“
Since the incident, Hannibal has been featuring regularly for Burnley, much to the annoyance of Whites supporters.
Lancashire Police also investigated the incident and were working to establish the facts.
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Keith Hackett predicts lengthy ban for Hannibal if proven guilty
At this stage, they are just allegations, but if found guilty, it could come with a hefty punishment for the Burnley midfielder.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Keith Hackett said: “If the spitting offence is proven, the act is covered in law under the banner of Violent Conduct.
“It is frankly disgusting, and if proven guilty, he should serve a minimum 12-match ban.“
Typical punishments come with a minimum ban of three games, though, given it was allegedly directed at the Leeds support, the repercussions could be much heavier for Hannibal, with the ban potentially ruling him out until February.
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