Floriana goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo and Tarxien Rainbows wing-back Justin Grioli received a two-match ban yesterday after both were shown a straight red card for violent play during last weekend’s league games against Balzan (2-2) and Marsaxlokk (2-2) respectively.

Bartolo will miss his side’s tough fixtures against Hibs on Saturday and rivals Valletta on the weekend of March 3-4.

Grioli has been ruled out of the Blues’ games against Birkirkara and Balzan Youths.

Mark Anthony Psaila was also hit with a two-match suspension but, unlike Bartolo and Grioli, the Mqabba defender was suspended for one game for his red card in the 4-1 defeat to Qormi and another for your yellow cards. Psaila will have to skip Mqabba’s games against Mosta and Hibs.

Balzan’s Clifton Ciantar, who saw red in the closing minutes of his team’s match against Floriana, was one of four players who were handed a one-match ban.

Nikola Tasic, also of Bazan, Ħamrun striker Anderson Ribeiro and Hibs midfielder Bjorn Kristensen were sanct-ioned for four yellow cards.

Meanwhile, Tarxien have lodged a protest with the MFA against the result of Sunday’s league match against Marsa-xlokk which ended two-all.

Tarxien are challenging the eligibility of Ivan Kurtusic to play for Marsaxlokk on the grounds that the Serbian midfielder had already turned out for Serbian side FK Senta and Vittoriosa Stars this season.

According to the Rainbows, Marsaxlokk and Kurtusic have breached FIFA’s regulations which stipulate that players may be registered with a maximum of three clubs during one season but can only play official matches for two clubs during this period.

The Malta FA Protests’ Board will look into Tarxien’s claim this evening.