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Monaco's Nabil Dirar banned for at least three matches by Ligue 1

Monaco winger Nabil Dirar will miss his side's next three matches after being provisionally suspended for leaning his head towards a referee while aggressively contesting a decision.

Dirar, 29, picked up two yellow cards in quick succession shortly after half-time in Monaco's 1-0 derby win over Nice in Ligue 1 last weekend.

Feeling he had been harshly punished after being booked for a foul, the Morocco international went head to head with referee Tony Chapron and screamed his protest in the match official's face.

Chapron duly awarded Dirar a second booking for dissent and the player later used one of his social media accounts to acknowledge that he had been "stupid to have got a red card like that."

Having read the referee's report and that of his assistant, Ligue 1's disciplinary committee announced on Thursday evening that Dirar would be provisionally suspended.

Currently second in the league, Monaco must now make do without Dirar for their upcoming matches against St Etienne, Troyes and Nantes.

A final decision on the length of the former Club Brugge player's suspension will be taken when he appears before the next meeting of the disciplinary committee on March 3.