Gabriel Banned 1 Match by FA for Improper Conduct: Latest Details and Reaction

Arsenal defender Gabriel has received a one-match ban by the Football Association after admitting a charge of improper conduct for a controversial incident involving Chelsea's Diego Costa. The 24-year-old won't be available to play against Leicester City.

The FA confirmed the news via their official website:

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Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Arsenal defender Gabriel will serve a one-match suspension with immediate effect after he admitted an FA charge of improper conduct. 

The charge relates to Gabriel’s behaviour following his dismissal in or around the 45th minute of the game against Chelsea on Saturday [19 September 2015].

The player, who requested a personal hearing, was also fined £10,000 and warned as to his future conduct.

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Gabriel and Costa were involved in several altercations throughout the match, with the former eventually receiving a red card after kicking out in retaliation. That red card was rescinded earlier this week, but per David Hynter of the Guardian, he still faced a suspension for his refusal to leave the pitch in the wake of the incident.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Arsenal's upcoming match against the Foxes, manager Arsene Wenger said Gabriel has shown remorse for the incident, per Joe Mewis of the Mirror: "I prefer the action to be taken on the pitch. ... He was sorry about what had happened. He is a fighter. In training he was completely focused."

The decision to ban the Brazilian after rescinding the red card is curious at best, and fans and pundits struggled to wrap their head around the FA's thinking. The Daily Telegraph's Matt Law was among them:

That said, the one-match ban has to be considered a win for Wenger and Arsenal. Had Gabriel's red card stood, he would have been sidelined for three matches, and it's rare for the FA to rescind cards for acts of retaliation.

Per Mertesacker showed he's fit to play during Arsenal's Capital One Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur, and the German is expected to take Gabriel's spot in the starting XI for the match against Leicester City.

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