The Leeds United goalkeeper will miss a couple of months.
Kiko Casilla is set to miss a big chunk of Leeds United’s run-in from now until the end of the season.
The Spanish goalkeeper has been hit with an eight-match ban.
Casilla, who hasn’t missed a game for promotion-chasing Leeds in the Championship this season, will now be absent for most of the Whites’ last 11 league games.
The alleged offence happened in a game on September 28.
Here’s how former Leeds star Andy Couzens reacted to the sanction on Twitter:
It’s a big blow for Leeds but Casilla’s deputy Illan Meslier has looked a top prospect on the rare occasion that Marcelo Bielsa has played him this season.
The 19-year-old, who has one senior appearance under his belt, impressed in an FA Cup defeat by Arsenal in January and the Lorient loanee certainly has the ability to be a decent replacement, but does he have the experience?
Bielsa’s side are going for Premier League promotion and there’ll be a huge spotlight shining on him over the next eight matches.
This is where other, more experienced players need to buck up their ideas, because if the likes of Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison and Helder Costa continue to fluff goalscoring chances, and United drop points through a goalkeeping error for example, then it wouldn’t be fair for Meslier to take the criticism.
The youngster could make his Championship debut in the visit to Hull City this afternoon as Leeds look to establish an eight-point cushion in the top two.
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