Leonardo handed nine-month ban

Brazil: The 43-year-old was issued with the suspension on Thursday after he was adjudged to have "deliberately barged" referee Alexandre Castro earlier this month.

The club will appeal Paris Saint-Germain CEO Leonardo has been slapped with a nine-month ban by the Professional Football League (LFP) for his part in the fracas which followed the 1-1 draw with Valenciennes earlier this month. The sporting director, 43, is now forbidden from sitting on the bench, going into the referee`s dressing room and attending league meetings, however he can go into the team`s dressing room and can still negotiate transfers. The ban will apply to domestic games and therefore will not affect Champions League encounters. The Ligue 1 winners were also handed a three-point suspension, which will come into force at any stage next season should another of their club officials become embroiled in a similar case. The former Brazil international, whose suspension started on May 8 and will end on February 8, 2014, appeared to barge referee Alexandre Castro in the tunnel at Parc de Princes on May 5. The official club website have issued a statement which they describe the ban as "unjustified and extremely harsh". The statement read: "Paris Saint-Germain have taken note of the decision of the LFP Disciplinary Committee to suspend Leonardo, the team`s sporting director, for a nine-month period and to sanction the club with a conditional withdrawal of three points.” "In light of the material elements submitted to the members of the Disciplinary Committee, PSG consider this decision to be unjustified and extremely harsh. As a result, and in solidarity with its sporting director, PSG will appeal this decision." Goal.com