MONTREAL – Marco Schällibaum knows a thing or three about suspensions.
And after frustrated FC Dallas forward Eric Hassli was issued a yellow card for a swift kick to Montreal midfielder Davy Arnaud near the end of the teams’ scoreless draw on Saturday night, the Impact head coach is eager to see if there’s something more coming from the MLS Disciplinary Committee.
“It was a very big foul from Hassli today,” Schällibaum told the media after the game. “If MLS looks at this on Monday, it’s 100 percent a red card. But we’ll see. If Sanna [Nyassi] get suspended for a little simulation [against Chivas USA on July 7], you can suspend others, too.”
Hassli was booked by referee Hilario Grajeda for the foul in the 84th minute of the match, after Arnaud shielded the FCD forward from placing a shot on goalkeeper Troy Perkins. Arnaud tumbled to the ground after he was kicked and instantly pleaded to Grajeda for some retribution.
“I just felt he kicked me,” Arnaud said. “I don’t know what it looked like. I didn’t see it. But he’s not a small man, so I definitely felt it. Some of the guys reacted like it was pretty big, but I guess I just didn’t see it.”
Schällibaum, who was Hassli’s former coach at Swiss side Servette FC, has been three suspended three times this season for various infractions.
In order for the Disciplinary Committee to issue a suspension to Hassli, it will have to come to a unanmious decision that the play warranted a a clear and unequivocal red card, and that the play was of an egregious or reckless nature.
