Rubbed out ... Sky Blues marquee Brett Emerton will miss a week for his red card in the derby. Source: AAP
Western Sydney suffer a massive blow to their A-League finals campaign with utility Iacopo La Rocca handed a four-match ban while Sydney FC's Brett Emerton will miss one match.
| P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Sydney | 26 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 54 |
| 2 | Central Coast | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 25 | 51 |
| 3 | Victory | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 41 |
| 4 | Adelaide | 26 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 40 |
| 5 | Brisbane | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 32 |
| 6 | Sydney | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | -8 | 32 |
| 7 | Perth | 26 | 9 | 4 | 13 | -2 | 31 |
| 8 | Newcastle | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | -12 | 31 |
| 9 | Heart | 26 | 8 | 3 | 15 | -8 | 27 |
| 10 | Wellington | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -17 | 27 |
The Italian was dismissed late in the game during Saturday night's 1-1 draw with the Sky Blues, after swinging his arm into Antonis' face as the two challenged for the ball.
Meanwhile, Sydney FC's Brett Emerton received an automatic one-match ban when he was sent off for a late tackle on Shannon Cole during the same game.
He'll miss Thursday's trip to Brisbane.
While a direct red card attracts a mandatory one-game suspension, the A-League's match review panel decided La Rocca's incident warranted an additional sanction of three matches.
It means he will miss the grand final should the Wanderers make it that far.
A spokesperson for the Wanderers said they would consider their options in regards to a possible appeal but coach Tony Popovic seemed accepting of his player's fate after the game, saying it was a clear red card and he expected more than a week's suspension.
La Rocca's loss is a major concern for Popovic with Japanese star Shinji Ono, Jerome Polenz, Michael Beauchamp and Aaron Mooy all carrying injuries.
The Wanderers' depth is certain to be put to the test as they attempt to secure the Premiers' Plate when they face Newcastle in their final-round clash on Friday.
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