Spartak Moscow have asked the Russian Football Union to ban Zenit St. Petersburg striker Alexander Kerzhakov for his part in a challenge that left Spartak goalkeeper Andrey Dikan with severe facial injuries, the club said Friday.
Kerzhakov’s knee smashed into Dikan’s face during Zenit’s 2-1 win over Spartak on Saturday, leaving the goalkeeper with a broken cheekbone, broken jaw, dislocated jaw and concussion.
“We ask for a sporting sanction to be introduced against the FC Zenit player Kerzhakov in the form of a suspension,” the club said in a statement on its website.
“In the opinion of FC Spartak Moscow, Kerzhakov committed a serious infringement of the rules of the game (foul play) in the collision with Dikan, by using excessive force (violence) against in a challenge for the ball,” the club said.
Referee Maxim Layushkin did not award a foul for the challenge and Kerzhakov was not cautioned, but the Russian Football Union’s rules allow it to re-examine passages of play to decide whether action should have been taken.
Dikan played on for ten minutes, but was substituted after Kerzhakov scored a penalty against him.
The Ukrainian goalkeeper was discharged from hospital Wednesday and is resting before he travels to Germany for an operation next week.
Kerzhakov apologized for the collision, saying it was accidental, and Dikan has reportedly answered that he holds no grudge against the Russia international striker.
