PSG star Angel Di Maria given four-game ban for SPITTING on Marseille player before melee which saw five sent off

ANGEL DI MARIA has been slapped with a four-game ban for spitting at Marseille’s Alvaro Gonzalez.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward, 32, gobbed at his opponent during the Ligue 1 clash earlier this month.

Tempers flared and punches were thrown in injury time with five red cards shown – including to Neymar.

The Brazilian claimed he was racially abused by Gonzalez and responded by thumping the defender in the back of the head.

After escaping initial punishment on the field, Di Maria has now been penalised by French footballing authorities after video footage emerged of the vile spitting incident.

Towards the end of the first half, he jogged past Gonzalez and video footage seems to show the ex-Manchester United man aim in his direction.

Gonzalez reacted furiously but no action was taken by the referee or VAR.

Pascal Garibian, technical director of refereeing, said after the game: “This was the subject of a search by video support at that minute and we couldn’t find any images to support this fact.

“That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, but there is no video image which in a convincing manner could support this precise point.”

Spitting in any context is abhorrent but even more so during the coronavirus pandemic with safety so important.

And Di Maria will now miss four matches for PSG – but only after this weekend’s fixture against Reims which he is still available for.

It means the Argentine will miss the French champions’ Ligue 1 clashes against Angers, Nimes, Dijon and Nantes.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, faces an anxious wait to see if he will be handed a ban of his own – which could be as long as ten matches – as an investigation continues into the allegation of racism.