Schalke 04 have succeeded in their appeal against a six-match Klaas-Jan Huntelaar ban as the German Football Association (DFB) have suspended two games of the suspension.
The Netherland international was sent off in the 85th minute of Schalke’s 1-0 win over Hannover in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Huntelaar lunged at Hannover’s Manuel Schmiedebach from behind, a rash challenge in the centre of the field way off the ball.
The suspended sentence also serves as a year period of probation for the striker, who had aggravated a normal three-game ban for straight red card by confronting referee Sascha Stegemann. He has been ordered to pay a €15,000 fine.
According to the terms of the new sanction, Schalke will now be without Huntelaar for four matches starting with Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with leaders Bayern Munich, this weekend’s game at Borussia Monchengladbach and subsequent matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, Werder Bremen.
He will make his return on 28 February for the duel with Borussia Dortmund. Huntelaar is nonetheless available for the Uefa Champions League clash with Real Madrid on 18 February.
