Melbourne Victory captain Mark Milligan has received a three-match A-League ban following his errant elbow on Sydney FC’s Terry Antonis during Saturday’s match.
Milligan had received no on-field punishment for the 23rd minute incident, referee Peter Green suggesting the nearby official was unsighted.
But the A-League match review panel took a dim view of the clash, handing the Socceroo a mandatory one match ban for serious foul play plus an additional two-week suspension.
Antonis, who along with Milligan is in the Socceroos’ provisional Asian Cup squad, fell to the ground clutching his head, with blood streaming from a cut above his eye.
Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold said the 21-year-old required 10 stitches from the incident, and played the rest of the match with blurry vision.
Milligan will miss matches with cross-town rivals Melbourne City on December 20 and a home game with Newcastle Jets on the 27th.
He is then expected to join the Socceroos camp for the Asian Cup and therefore miss another A-League match after the tournament’s conclusion.