Considerable suspensions for Chivu and Zlatan

26 April: Ajacieden Cristian Chivu and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will pay the price for their violent behaviour in the second half of the 16 April Amstel Cup semi-final against Feyenoord. On Friday Ajax turned down the settlement proposal of the KNVB disciplinary committee: a five game suspension for Zlatan and three games for Chivu. After further study of the TV footage the definitive penalties will be announced the upcoming week.

In the second half of Feyenoord vs Ajax (1-0) Zlatan hit opponent Gérard de Nooijer with his elbow. The Feyenoord defender needed stitches. His face was blood-covered. In the hectic final minutes of the game Cristian Chivu attempted to hit Korean defender Song.

Pending the case, until the definitive suspension is announced, Chivu can continue to play for Ajax. He will be available for Sunday's Eredivisie game at AZ in Alkmaar. Due to the seriousness of Zlatan's foul, however, the KNVB prosecutor gave the disciplinary committee the advice to suspend the Swede with immediate effect pending the case. The committee adopted this recommendation, so that Zlatan - the only remaining centre forward in Ronald Koeman's squad - will not be available on Sunday.

If the KNVB sticks to the suspensions proposed as a settlement, Cristian Chivu will miss the two games that are arguably the toughest remaining tasks in the race for the second slot on the table: the home game against the Eredivisie's #4 (RKC Waalwijk, 03 May) and the away game at the #5 (NEC, 11 May).

Unlike Chivu's, Zlatan's suspension starts tomorrow in Alkmaar. If the KNVB sticks to the five game suspension proposed, the 2002-2003 season will be as good as over for the striker. He would only be available for the last match of the season, at home to SC Heerenveen (29 May).

Coach Ronald Koeman, meanwhile, said in several Dutch newspapers and TV interviews that he is highly annoyed by the "arbitrariness" of the disciplinary committee: "If they want to suspend players based on TV footage, then why don't they prosecute Paul Bosvelt for grabbing Wesley Sneijder by the throat?" (MP)

(Source: Ajax.nl, NOS Teletekst)