Mexican referee Fernando Hernandez has been suspended for 12 matches after kneeing a player in the groin during America’s match against Leon on Sunday.

Hernandez kneed Leon’s Lucas Romero as he and his teammates angrily demanded a video assistant referee review after America’s equaliser in the 2-2 draw.

Romero was also given a two-match ban for the reaction.

“To the fans and public in general, I offer an apology, as well as to Romero, for my reaction,” Hernandez had said.

“I would never attack him or any other player. I am aware of this and I will abide by the decision of the Disciplinary Commission.”

Romero said after the match that he had not called for Hernandez to be punished and that it had been a misunderstanding.

“Obviously [referees] are human beings, many times they can make mistakes and those mistakes end up developing what happened, a lot of misunderstandings,” the Argentinian told Mexican broadcaster TUDN.

Leon and America sit third and fourth, respectively, in the Mexican league and the heated match also saw head coaches Fernando Ortiz and Nicolas Larcamon dismissed during the game for coming to blows with each other on the touchline.

Images of Leon coach Larcamon with his shirt torn after fighting with the America bench circulated on social media after the match and the two managers have each been given two-match bans.