Suspension for AS Monaco – Paris: Brunner must miss two games
AS Monaco must do without Paris Brunner after the disciplinary commission of Ligue 1 (LFP) suspended the 20‑year‑old German for two games. The suspension applies to the matches against Toulouse on October 10 and Lorient eight days later, because Brunner showed a controversial gesture after his equaliser against Racing Strasbourg.
The Incident and the Punishment
On September 12, Brunner scored the 1‑1 equaliser against Racing Strasbourg and celebrated in front of the home supporters by mimicking a slit‑through‑the‑throat movement. The gesture initially went unnoticed, but the LFP commission examined the incident and imposed the two‑day suspension as well as two additional games on probation. The commission judged the gesture as unsporting and offensive towards the fans.
Brunner said after the match that he felt provoked by the chants of the Strasbourg fans and that his parents had also been insulted. He emphasized that he made the gesture not out of disrespect but out of emotion and apologised immediately. In a statement on his social‑media channels he wrote: “This confession was clumsy and I should not have done it.”
Monaco’s coach Filipe Luís stood behind the young striker. He described Brunner as a passionate and intense player, but admitted that the action was a mistake that the 20‑year‑old immediately understood and regretted. Luís also stressed that the team takes the situation very seriously and expects Brunner to control his emotions better in the future.
Brunner’s Sporting Record
Despite the suspension, Brunner’s season is going excellently: In the first seven league matches he scored six goals, four of them in Ligue 1. The goals included the equaliser against Racing Strasbourg and a strike in the 2‑1 win over RC Lens, which he contributed last Friday. This gives him a scoring rate of almost one goal per game, making him one of the most productive forwards in the league.
Through his scoring rate Brunner has put himself forward for the German U21 national team and received his first call‑up from the German Football Association (DFB). His debut for the U21 side is imminent. The DFB has stated that Brunner’s form and willingness to work make him a valuable option for the U21 team.
Consequences for Monaco
Monaco therefore loses one of its most in‑form forwards for the fixtures against Toulouse FC on October 10 and FC Lorient on October 18. Coach Luís now has to rely on other attacking options, while the club’s Ligue 1 record continues without Brunner. Monaco must now trust the depth of its squad to maintain its attacking potency.
The LFP commission made clear that, in addition to the two suspended matches, two further games are only suspended on probation. If Brunner commits no further offences, the conditional games will remain unpunished. Should additional violations occur, the conditional games could be converted into fixed suspensions.