Hertha Berlin defender Josip Simunic will not play again this season and will miss the first two games of the next campaign after being banned for four matches.
The Croatia international was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Werder Bremen's Christian Schulz on Sunday.
Schulz needed stitches in a wound near his right eye after being caught by Simunic's high boot, and the Berlin defender called his opponent on Monday to apologise.
The German Football Association (DFB) have taken a severe view of the foul though and hit the Australian Institute of Sport-trained Simunic with a four-game suspension, which both the player and his club have accepted.
"I did not see the player and did not mean to kick him," said Simunic. "The important thing is no serious injury has come of it."
Simunic phoned Schulz to personally apologise to Schulz earlier in the week.
Schulz needed stitches in a wound near his right eye after being caught by Simunic's high boot, and the Berlin defender called his opponent on Monday to apologise.
The German Football Association (DFB) have taken a severe view of the foul though and hit the Australian Institute of Sport-trained Simunic with a four-game suspension, which both the player and his club have accepted.
"I did not see the player and did not mean to kick him," said Simunic. "The important thing is no serious injury has come of it."
Simunic phoned Schulz to personally apologise to Schulz earlier in the week.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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