After the Al-Hilal and Al-Gharafa crisis: the AFC shocks Bennacer and Somerville with a strong punishment

A lengthy absence for the duo

The Asian Football Confederation has come down hard on Algeria's Ismaël Bennacer, the Al-Gharafa midfielder, and the Netherlands' Crysencio Summerville, winger of Saudi club Al-Hilal, following the clash that erupted between them.

Al-Hilal had edged Al-Gharafa 2-1 when the pair met in the middle of last month at Kingdom Arena, in the opening round of the league phase of the AFC Champions League Elite.

Both men saw red in the 33rd minute. Bennacer and Summerville squared up to each other and the referee sent them straight off.

Saudi journalist Khaled Al-Dossari reports that the Asian Football Confederation has suspended both players for three matches in the Elite tournament and fined each of them 2,000 dollars.

Summerville will now sit out until the midway point of Al-Hilal's league phase campaign, missing clashes with Qatar's Al-Sadd and Al-Shamal, plus the UAE's Shabab Al-Ahli.

Bennacer faces the same fate. He will miss Al-Gharafa's next three matches, against Iran's Esteghlal Tehran, Saudi Arabia's Al-Qadsiah and Iraq's Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.

Al-Hilal sit third in the West group with three points. Al-Gharafa prop up the table in eleventh, still without a point.