Kurt Zouma gets 10-match ban

Saint-Etienne defender Kurt Zouma has been handed a 10-match ban for his challenge on Sochaux midfielder Thomas Guerbert in Ligue 1 last weekend.

Zouma received a straight red card for a tackle which left Guebert with a fractured tibia and fibia in his right leg, plus a dislocated ankle, almost certainly ruling him out for the next 12 months.

The French youth international was issued with the lengthy ban by a Professional Football League (LFP) disciplinary commission last night, who decided to take action given the rash nature of the tackle and Geubert's injuries.

The 19-year-old will now not feature in competitive action until 2014, leaving Saint-Etienne without a key man who has missed just one of their 12 games in Ligue 1 so far this season.