Leeds cheat Bamford to be banned for two games after conning referee to get Aston Villa ace El Gahzi sent off

PATRICK BAMFORD will today be handed a two-match ban for the con-job which saw Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi dismissed at Elland Road yesterday. Bamford will miss Leeds’ final Championship match and the first leg of their play-off semi-final when he is charged with “successfully deceiving” referee Stuart Attwell. Bamford went down during the melee […]

PATRICK BAMFORD will today be handed a two-match ban for the con-job which saw Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi dismissed at Elland Road yesterday.

Bamford will miss Leeds’ final Championship match and the first leg of their play-off semi-final when he is charged with “successfully deceiving” referee Stuart Attwell.

Reuters

Bamford went down during the melee that followed Leeds’ controversial opening goal.

Villa were fuming after Mateusz Klich played on and scored when striker Jonathan Kodjia was down injured.

With tempers fraying, players clashed in the Villa box and Bamford hit the deck, with Attwell told by his assistant the Leeds striker had been caught by El Ghazi’s elbow.

But video footage proved there was no contact and that Bamford had hoodwinked the officials.

Under FA rules introduced at the start of last season, players deemed to have deceived officials to earn penalties or get opposing players dismissed can be charged, with a two-match ban the standard punishment.

Villa will appeal El Ghazi’s red card – and automatic three-match suspension – and are set to have that appeal upheld as a result of the footage that incriminates Bamford.

El Ghazi’s dismissal led to tempers flaring on the sidelines and Terry aimed a “shhh” gesture at rival boss Marcelo Bielsa.

But after the controversial opener, the Leeds manager ordered his players to let Villa equalise in an amazing show of sportsmanship.

Pontus Jansson tried to stop the visitors from walking the ball in, but Albert Adomah did level the scoring before the match ended 1-1.

Reuters