Turkish defender Merih Demiral is not in the starting in the Netherlands vs Turkiye Euro 2024 quarterfinal clash being played at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
The Al-Ahly player, who has been the starting centre-back for Turkiye in the tournament, score two goals against Austria in the round of 16 match and helped his side progress to the quarterfinal.
However, the 26-year-old is not even in the squad for this crucial knockout encounter, despite not being injured or suspended due to accumulating cards.
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Why is Demiral not playing?
UEFA has suspended the Turkey playe for two matches for making a controversial gesture after the win over Austria.
The governing body said Friday that it had banned the defender “for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute.”
Demiral scored both goals Tuesday in a 2-1 win over Austria to earn Turkey’s place in the quarterfinals and celebrated with a hand sign associated with an ultra-nationalist group.
After scoring the second goal he made a sign with each hand that is used by Turkish nationalists and associated with the Turkish ultra-nationalist organization Ulku Ocaklari, which is more widely known as the Gray Wolves.
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On the other hand, Jude Bellingham has been named in England’s starting lineup of its quarterfinal clash against Switzerland despite facing ban for an offensive gesture in his team’s win over Slovakia at Euro 2024.
As a consequence the Real Madrid midfielder was fined for 30,000 euros ($32,500) by UEFA.
UEFA on Friday imposed a one-game ban for Bellingham but said it “is not immediately enforced and is subject to a probationary period” of a year.
