This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Kiko Casilla has been charged with racially abusing Jonathan Leko earlier this season, and if he’s found guilty it could have huge repercussions for Leeds United.
The Whites currently have the best defensive record in the Championship, and that is in no small part down to the efforts of the Spaniard who has looked a renewed figure this term.
As it stands, nobody knows whether Casilla will be found guilty, but Phil Hay has recently stated that he expects him to be, so there is a decent chance that he will be punished.
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The potential ban for the former Real Madrid man is up in the air as well, it’s a minimum six-game ban for instances such as these, but reports claim that the suspension could be as long as 12 matches.
Leeds have to be praying that the FA take a lenient stance on this one as a six-game ban wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for the Yorkshire outfit.
Indeed, in Leeds’ next six matches they play just one team that is currently in the top half of the Championship, and even then that’s 11th placed Hull City.
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You would think that the Whites could comfortably pick up points from the majority of those games even without their first-choice goalkeeper, but if his ban is 12 games it could be catastrophic.
Leeds’ next six outings after that initial period are incredibly tough.
United have to play four promotion contenders in the shape of Fulham, Preston, West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday, and their two other games are against a recently-relegated Cardiff City and a Birmingham side that did the double over them last season.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side could certainly cope without Casilla for six games, but if he’s absent for the next 12 fixtures the Whites could be in a bit of trouble.