A 38-time France star who previously lit up the Premier League is reportedly facing a ban after he was caught slapping an opposition coach.
Olympique Marseille midfielder Dimitri Payet could now be set for a spell on the sidelines after he was spotted on video footage swinging a slap in the face of RC Lens assistant coach Yannick Cahuzac.
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The incident took place during a Ligue 1 clash on Saturday, when Marseille suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the home side.
An altercation between the two benches took place after Lens player Facundo Medina sent a ball towards the Marseille technical area.
This erupted into chaos as members of both benches began clashing, with Payet, who started the game as a substitute, also getting involved and slapping Cahuzac.
— Hadrien Rivayrand ???????? (@HRivayrand) May 8, 2023
The referee issued red cards to Cahuzac and a member of Marseille's staff for their involvement, while Payet was spared any punishment for his seemingly violent conduct.
He was later substituted on and netted a consolation goal for his side as their hopes of UEFA Champions League football next season suffered a blow.
According to L’Equipe, the former West Ham United attacker, who became a cult hero in England after scoring some sensational goals in the Premier League, now risks receiving a five-game ban for his actions, which would rule him out for the remainder of the season as only four matches remain.
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The 36-year-old has regularly courted controversy on and off the pitch since his return to France from England in 2017. In 2020, he was also heavily criticised for refusing to accept a pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic, while he was again lambasted last season, this time for being overweight, according to various reports.
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