Joey Barton has escaped with a two-game suspended ban following his controversial comments regarding PSG defender Thiago Silva.
By Declan Whooley
The on-loan Marseilles midfielder is now free to play in the final three games of Ligue 1 after the French footballing authorities only hit the Englishman with a suspended ban following offensive comments made about the Brazilian on Twitter.
The French Football Federation’s ethics committee issued the punishment despite previously saying they could not act because the comments were in English, though punishment is perhaps a little strong.
Barton apologised for his outburst via a club statement when PSG intimated that they would consider taking legal action.
Silva for his part has kept quiet over the incident, saying that he had forgotten the name of the English player at Marseilles who kept criticising top players.
PSG are seven points clear of Marseilles with just three games left in the campaign.
