By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: <a href= http://bit.ly/lsiOza' class='instorylink'>@skysportspeteo</a>
Thursday 6 September 2012 22:57, UK
Image:Joey Barton: Forced to miss nine games for Marseille after seeing his ban carried over to France
Joey Barton will be forced to serve the remaining nine games of his 12-match ban the French League have confirmed.
Midfielder forced to miss next nine games
On-loan Marseille midfielder Joey Barton will be forced to serve the remaining nine games of his 12-match ban the French League have confirmed.
Barton, who sealed a season-long loan at Marseille last week, is currently serving a 12-match ban after being found guilty of two charges of violent conduct while playing for Queens Park Rangers in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester City on the final day of last season.
The LFP have now confirmed that the ban will roll over into his campaign with France, meaning Barton will have to wait until the clash with Bordeaux on November 18 to make his Ligue 1 debut for Marseille.
"When Joey Barton was transferred from Queens Park Rangers to Olympique Marseille, the FA relayed the sanction taken against him to the French soccer federation," the LFP said on its website (www.lfp.fr).
"According to FIFA rules... the player, who has already served three games, has been suspended for the next nine matches in the French competitions."
Barton, however, can play in the Europa League for his new team because domestic suspensions do not apply to European club competitions.
