Halilhodzic banned for two months
 |  Controversial PSG coach Halilhodzic is sent packing by referee Sars |
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PARIS, France -- Paris St Germain coach Vahid Halilhodzic was handed a two-month touchline ban by the disciplinary committee of the French soccer league (LNF) on Thursday.
Halilhodzic was 'sent off' during a bad-tempered league match against Lyon two weeks ago following a row with referee Alain Sars over a red card shown to defender Mario Yepes.
He will be allowed to attend to PSG's outing against Lille on Saturday but will be in the stand for the Champions League's tie with CSKA Moscow next week.
"Our decision was motivated by the will to make everyone think about it twice before they start arguing with a refereeing action," said a LNF official.
Halilhodzic's first assistant Bruno Baronchelli was handed a one-month suspension. He was also sent off during the match.
International midfielder Jerome Rothen was banned for four matches after he insulted the referee when walking the corridors leading to the changing rooms at the interval.
Barthez recovering
Marseille captain Fabien Barthez is recovering in hospital after surgery on a reported benign tumor, his club coach Philippe Troussier said.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper had an operation on Thursday, and as a result is ruled out of his team's first match with Troussier in charge against Caen on Saturday.
"I spoke to him by phone. The operation went very well," Troussier said at his team's midweek training camp here.
"I wished him a speedy recovery," Troussier added, without revealing details about the nature of Barthez' problem.
On Monday French regional paper La Provence reported that Barthez' surgery was to remove a non-malignant skin tumor.
Troussier was unable to say how long Barthez would be out of action.
"His recovery will need time, but we hope he'll be back soon," said the man brought in to revive the south coast side's fortunes after Jose Anigo's resignation last month.
