M´Vila ban ´heavy´, says Remy

Marseille forward Loic Remy has described Yann M’Vila’s 20-month ban from playing for France as ‘heavy’.

The Rennes midfielder was given the punishment after he and France under-21 team-mates Wissam Ben Yedder, Antoine Griezmann, Chris Mavinga and M’Baye Niang visited a nightclub in between the Euro 2013 qualifying matches against Norway in October.

Remy said the 22-year-old was treated harshly for a mistake he believes several players could make at his age.

“It’s heavy,” he told L’Equipe.

“For players, it must be a difficult situation. They are young, they have made a mistake. We all make mistakes, especially when we are at that age.”

M’Vila is now likely to miss out on a place at World Cup 2014 because of the ban, but can still appeal the decision, along with the other four players who were found guilty.

Ben Yedder, Griezmann, Mavinga and Niang have all been suspended from the France squad until December 2013.