Darren Bent has commented on the situation regarding Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla’s FA ban for racially aggravated abuse, and how it leaves the club in a tough situation going forward.

Leeds have been rocked in the past week by the confirmation of an FA Charge to first-choice goalkeeper Kiko Casilla, which has seen him handed a ban for the next eight games and given a hefty £60,000 fine following a breach of FA rule E3.

The breach comes in relation to an incident in the Charlton Athletic defeat back in September where Macauley Bonne netted the game’s only goal. However, the alleged incident came in the second half following a corner where Casilla was claimed to have used abusive language in the direction of the Addicks’ on-loan forward Leko, which footage has since emerged (and used as evidence) to show that Bonne was aware of this too, with the pair reporting it to the referee.

The ban now means Leeds are without Casilla for the following seven games after the win over Hull City was his first out of the squad, but the major problem that they now face is how the club handles Casilla after he has served his ban.

It would be a tough situation for Leeds to deal with to ensure that the Whites maintain their stance against racism while dealing with Casilla as amicably as he has served the club well.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Debate, former England striker Darren Bent commented on the problem facing Leeds going forward. He stated: “It’s a tricky situation for Leeds to be in, I think.

“How do they deal with this situation? There’s going to be players in that dressing room – black players or people of another ethnicity that will be thinking ‘let’s see how the club are going to approach this’.

“If they come out with a statement that says they’re going to back the goalkeeper, then as a player I’m thinking that me and the club’s ties are finished.

“I can’t fully commit to this football club if they’re not going to have my back.

“He might not have racially abused me but I’m a part of your team and if you’re backing a player who has just been done for racially abusing a player, where does that leave me.”

The ban would finish before Leeds played Barnsley in the league with three games to go but there are major doubts about whether he will feature for Leeds United again after such a serious accusation and punishment.

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The verdict

Bent hits the nail on the head here that Leeds should be looking at cutting ties with Casilla as not to appear to be taking his side over other players in the squad.

Bent speaks from the perspective of someone who understands racial abuse and if he would not feel comfortable around Casilla in this situation, then he wouldn’t be the only one.

There isn’t much Leeds can really do in this situation apart from prepare for the Spaniard’s exit and utilise Illan Meslier as the first-choice from now on.

They have been boosted by the fact that Meslier looks very promising in his performances so far and he will only get better with experience.