by Renee Israel
Professional football is rife with spitting and thanks to HD TV, viewers can now watch this disgusting activity in even greater clarity, although spitting at a rival earned
Bundesliga player,
Javier Pinola, a 4-match ban.
The incident in question took place during last Sunday's match between derby rivals FC Bayern München and 1. FC Nürnberg, when Argentinean defender Pionola lost his cool and spat at München midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
While Pionola's action escaped the attention of the referee, and thus went unpunished during the game, after the game - which Nürnberg lost 3-0 - the German Football Association (DFB) got involved, and handed down a four-match ban.
According to reports, DFB officials reviewed video footage of the incident - in the full glory of HD - and decided to take action. But interestingly, as harsh as a four-match ban seems, Pionola could have been suspended for up to 6 months.
It is thought that the DFB went easier on Pinola because he humbly apologised by phone to Schweinsteiger on Monday, and Schweinsteiger - who plays for the German national football team - was man enough to accept the apology.
But while things between Pinola and Schweinsteiger may be copacetic, no doubt Nürnberg manager Dieter Hecking must be absolutely fuming that the defender will sit out against Kaiserslautern, Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim.
It's no secret that Nürnberg are having something of a rough season, which is why each and every player counts and why the absence of Pionola may have dire consequences for the team which is in 10th place in the Bundesliga standings.
Here are the complete Bundesliga results from the weekend:
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Hamburger SV
SV Werder Bremen 0-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
VfL Wolfsburg 2-2 FC Schalke 04
1. FC Köln 0-4 Borussia M'gladbach
1. FC Kaiserslautern 3-3 VfB Stuttgart
FC St. Pauli 0-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
1. FSV Mainz 05 0-1 Hannover 96
1899 Hoffenheim 0-1 SC Freiburg
FC Bayern München 3-0 1. FC Nürnberg
