Preston’s Milutin Osmajic Faces Fresh Suspension After Serving Nine-Match Ban
Milutin Osmajic faces a new ban after his violent conduct against Hull City.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: EFL Championship, Football
Nasir Jabbar
Topics: EFL Championship, Football
Milutin Osmajic is facing a fresh suspension just weeks after returning to Preston North End following his nine-match ban.
Osmajic was given a nine-game ban after he was charged with racially abusing Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri.
The incident happened during Preston's goalless draw against Burnley in February, with the sanction delivered in November.
He was also hit with a £21,000 fine.
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Osmajic returned to the Preston fold with a goal in their 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on New Year's Day.
The Montenegrin started his side's subsequent game against Bristol City before being dropped for the visit of Derby County.
But Osmajic returned to the starting XI in Tuesday's home defeat to Hull City, but he didn't see out the whole Championship fixture following his dismissal in second-half stoppage time.
With his side trailing 3-0, Osmajic saw red figuratively before being sent off for a moment that his manager has described as 'unacceptable'.
In the closing stages of last night's match, the 26-year-old clashed with Hull's John Lundstram.
The pair squared up to each other before Osmajic inexplicably headbutted Lundstram, who immediately clutched his face after the blow.
Players from both teams swarmed to the scene before match referee Stephen Martin intervened and brandished a red card.
The forward faces yet another suspension, with a three-match ban looming following his violent conduct.
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom admitted he felt let down by Osmajic's behaviour.
"Yeah it is a sending off, Steve has got no choice," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"Yeah he has [let us down], he has not cost us the game but we have got three big games coming up and we are a striker down."
Heckingbottom added: "A lack of discipline is totally unacceptable. In my time here if he gets three games for that, it will have been 20 games missed.
"They are different issues, don't get me wrong, but a sending off for a tackle or something to help the team is a lot different.
"He has not learned his lesson. The issues are totally unconnected in terms of football aren't they.
"In terms of other things, the word professional, we are professional people and footballers, there is a way to act.
"Whether that's a tackle on the pitch, discipline away from it, training ground, there is a way to be professional."
Preston's crushing defeat to Hull is a blow to their play-off hopes as they mount a promotion charge.
As mentioned, Osmajic had only returned to action after completing a nine-match ban for racially abusing ex-Manchester United star Mejbri.
He was also slapped with an eight-match ban for biting Owen Beck’s neck against Blackburn Rovers in September 2024.
At the time, he received a yellow card for dissent but was subsequently banned by the FA for eight games and fined £15,000.
Osmajic faces yet another ban after his latest incident.