The Spanish midfielder will miss the Odisha game after allegedly biting Chennaiyin defender Deepak Tangri...
FC Goa's Edu Bedia is given until February 17 to reply to a show cause notice issued by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Disciplinary Committee for an alleged biting incident which occurred during an Indian Super League (ISL) match between FC Goa and Chennaiyin FC.
The Gaurs skipper was involved in an incident during Saturday's ISL encounter and it emerged that he had bit opposition defender Deepak Tangri around his waist after the defender had charged Bedia from behind. The player, though, has denied the charge as he claimed it was just a gesture of anger due to the challenge and not a bite.
Clarifying his stance after the game in an Instagram post from his official handle, the Goa skipper wrote, "I want to clarify that on TV it looks like I bite an opponent player when there is only a small struggle and a gesture of anger, but never a bite. Maybe the images make things the way they are but Deepak Tangri knows what really happened."
"Bedia was reported of 'unsporting behaviour towards CFC player Deepak Tangri.' The Committee has given the Spaniard time till 17th February to submit a reply," read the statement issued by the league.
The Spaniard is for now confirmed to miss Goa's game against Odisha on Wednesday on account of picking his fourth yellow card of the season following the above incident.
FC Goa are currently at the fourth position in the league table tied on points (24) with Hyderabad after 17 matches. At a time when the team is fighting fiercely for a play-offs at the business end of the season, their skipper's suspension comes as a huge blow. Bedia has been a part of 15 ISL matches this season out of Goa's 17 and has provided three assists so far.