Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has been banned for one match, and fined £50,000, for a tweet he sent to team-mate Benjamin Mendy.
He compared a picture of Mendy in his youth to the mascot of Spanish chocolate company Conguitos on September 22nd.
The Portugal international swiftly deleted the post afterward but was charged with misconduct by the English Football Association.
On the same day as the tweet in question, Silva posted: "Can't even joke with a friend these days... You guys..."
After backlash against the tweet, Silva was defended by his Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola:
"Bernardo is one of the most lovely people I have ever met in my life," the City boss said three days after the post.
"He speaks four or five languages - that is the best way to understand how open-minded he is - and one of his best friends is Mendy. He is like a brother for him. The image for the two is not about the colour of the skin."
The FA confirmed the punishment this afternoon, saying the midfielder's tweet had breached its rules:
"The Manchester City midfielder's social media activity on September 22, 2019 breached FA Rule E3(1), as it was insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute, and constituted an "aggravated breach", which is defined in FA Rule E3(2), as it included reference, whether expressed or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin."
