MacLean accepts two-match ban after Kouassi incident at Murrayfield

Hearts striker Steven MacLean will sit out tonight’s Edinburgh derby clash with Hibernian after accepting a two-match ban for grabbing Celtic midfielder Eboue Kouassi’s private parts.

The Jambos frontman was caught on camera squeezing his rival’s groin during Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final clash at BT Murrayfield.

MacLean has now accepted the charge, ruling him out of the Tynecastle showdown with Neil Lennon’s team as well as Hearts’ opening League Cup game next season.

The Scottish Football Association confirmed MacLean had turned down the chance to plead his case at a hearing on Thursday, adding: “Two match automatic suspension (has been applied), one match applies immediately to the player’s recognised team’s next match, irrespective of competition and one match applies to the next match the player’s club plays in the Scottish League Cup.”

Kouassi went down in apparent agony and accused MacLean of grabbing him as the pair jostled for space at a corner during Celtic’s 3-0 triumph.

Scottish Football Association compliance officer Clare Whyte was prompted to act on recent guidelines which rule such incidents as violent conduct.

But Gorgie boss Craig Levein had taken a light-hearted view on the eve of the match, saying: “I’m rueing the fact that they changed the rules this summer, and then it becomes a different offence.

“He said he’s been doing it for years but I had to chuckle at that. I don’t think it was an offence (before), if you know what I mean.”