Jerome Boateng's Suspension Reduced to Two Matches

The Deutsche Fußball Bund has reduced Jérôme Boateng's red card suspension to two matches after a hearing on Monday. The reduction makes the center back eligible to play in Bayern Munich's away match against SC Paderborn 07.

Boateng was sent off in Bayern's match against Schalke 04 on a last-man tackle on Sidney Sam at the edge of the penalty area. He has already served the first match of his suspension, missing Bayern's trip to VfB Stuttgart over the weekend. He will be ineligible to play against his former side Hamburger SV.

The deliberation revealed the true nature of Boateng's suspension: the DFB added on an extra match due to Manuel Neuer making the save on Erik Maxim Choupo-Moting's ensuing penalty kick. Had Neuer allowed the ball in the back of the net, Boateng would have been suspended for just a match. His previous red card history was not a factor.

"Had the penalty transformed the available outcome, Jérôme Boateng would have received only one match despite prior charge," said Hans Lorenz, the head of the court of sport. "The fact that Manuel Neuer held the penalty does not lead to a 200 percent increase of a suspension to three matches."

Dante and Medhi Benatia were the two center backs who took the field in Stuttgart, with Holger Badstuber making three appearances on the bench. Pep Guardiola will likely use a combination of the three once again.