Peruvian international Paolo Guerrero was suspended for eight games on Monday by the German Football Federation for his brutal foul on the VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper during his side Hamburg's 4-0 home defeat on Saturday.
The DFB's disciplinary commission took the decision after reviewing video images of the incident which reveal the volatile 28-year-old striker - known as the warrior - launching himself at goalkeeper Sven Ulreich's knees when he didn't have the ball.
Hamburg have appealed the decision.
"I am very disappointed by the verdict," said Hamburg's Danish sporting director Frank Arnesen.
"I do not excuse the foul but, compared to other fouls, I was not expecting such a heavy punishment."
If the punishment is upheld Guerrero - who has been with the club since 2006 - will only be available for the penultimate Bundesliga match of the season against Mainz which will affect his side's chances of avoiding relegation as they are only five points above it at the moment.
It is not the first time that Guerrero has received a multi-match ban as he was suspended for five games in 2010 for throwing a bottle of water at a supporter who had insulted him.
He also missed several months of the 2009/10 season with a knee injury and while seeking treatment spent longer than expected back in his home country after developing a fear of flying.
Guerrero lost an uncle in a plane crash in 1987 and admitted that he had never been so scared in his life when the return flight from a Europa League match in France in August 2009 was caught up in severe turbulence.
Source: AFP
