Van Persie banned for two matches for taunting a former Arsenal team-mate

Van Persie banned for two matches for taunting a former Arsenal team-mate

Robin van Persie has been banned for two matches for taunting a former Arsenal team-mate while playing for Fenerbahce.

Van Persie slid to his knees in front of Oguzhan Ozyakup in celebrating the only goal of his side’s 1-0 win over fierce rivals Besiktas in the Turkish Cup earlier this month.

The pair, whose paths crossed in their time at Arsenal, had earlier clashed after Van Persie was involved in a flashpoint that saw Besiktas defender Dusko Tosic sent off.

Tosic was shown a straight red card after appearing to push Van Persie in an innocuous incident in the penalty area.

Van Persie went on to score the winner with 18 minutes remaining and sought out Ozyakup, sliding in front of him and provoking the ire of the Besiktas captain.

“I have a lot to say about the incidents on the field,” Besiktas captain Ozyakup said after the match. “But I won’t say them.

“Just one thing…I was very good friends with a certain player on the field. That changed today. Sometimes you see the real face of a footballer on the field.”

He was initially handed a three-game suspension by the Turkish Football Federation for ‘an insult to fans of the opposing team’ but that was reduced to two on appeal.

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