Rami Bensebaini handed two-match German Cup ban after red card

Rami Bensebaini has been suspended for two German Cup matches after being sent off during Borussia Dortmund’s German Super Cup defeat by Bayern Munich.

The German Football Association (DFB) announced on Tuesday that its sports court had imposed the ban on the Algeria defender for “violent play”. The decision, reported by German newspaper Bild, relates solely to the red card Bensebaini received in the Super Cup match.

Bensebaini will therefore miss Borussia Dortmund’s German Cup opener against a fifth-tier club, which is scheduled for next Tuesday evening. He will also be unavailable for a potential second-round fixture at the end of October.

The 30-year-old was dismissed in the 90th minute of Dortmund’s 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich after making a forceful challenge on Ismaila Sarr, the Bavarian club’s new player. Referee Daniel Schlager showed Bensebaini a straight red card for the incident.

The suspension does not apply to Bundesliga matches. As a result, Bensebaini’s disciplinary situation for Dortmund’s league campaign remains separate from the punishment handed down following his dismissal in the German Super Cup.

His availability for Dortmund’s next league fixture is also uncertain for another reason. Bensebaini suffered a heavy bruising injury to his ribs during the defeat by Bayern and has yet to be cleared to play.

The match against Bayern ended 2-1, with Bensebaini remaining on the pitch until the final minute before his dismissal. His red card came after the challenge on Sarr, prompting the referee to send him off directly rather than issue a second yellow card.

The two-match German Cup suspension is similar to the punishment imposed on Martin Terrier of Bayer Leverkusen after he was sent off in the 2024 German Super Cup. Terrier was also banned for two German Cup matches.

Bensebaini’s suspension means Borussia Dortmund must begin their German Cup campaign without him, although the punishment will not prevent him from featuring in the Bundesliga once he is fit to return. His immediate involvement with the club will depend on the condition of his ribs and whether he is available for the next league match.

The German Football Association’s ruling covers the German Cup only, meaning there is no additional Bundesliga ban resulting from the Super Cup red card. Dortmund are consequently facing two separate questions ahead of their next fixtures: whether Bensebaini can recover from his injury in time for the league, and how the team will cope without him in the opening German Cup tie.