Some Arsenal fans are hoping it’s a long ban…
Shkodran Mustafi gave Arsenal the lead against Cardiff this afternoon but could face a ban from the FA due to his celebration.
The German international made a gesture with his hands understood to represent the eagle on the Albanian flag. FIFA prohibit political gestures on the pitch and the Albanian eagle symbol falls under that category.
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Mustafi was born in Germany to an Albanian family from Macedonia and made the gesture to show solidarity with the Kosovan people, Granit Xhaka being one of them, whom the gesture was aimed towards.
Xhaka made the gesture during the World Cup with his Swiss teammate Xherdan Shaqiri and the pair were subsequently fined by FIFA. Mustafi could face a similar punishment if the FA decide to take action.
Tensions are still high in the region of Kosovo between nationalist Serbs and ethnic Albanians, and this gesture may be considered to be provocative and therefore worthy of punishment.
Ten years after Kosovo’s Albanian-majority political institutions declared independence, the region is still not recognised by Serbia.
