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Guangzhou Evergrande's Alan Carvalho banned for eight games after elbow

The Chinese Football Association has banned Guangzhou Evergrande striker Alan Carvalho for eight games after he was sent off for elbowing Tianjin Quanjian's Liu Yiming last month.

Carvalho will be ruled out until July 21, when Evergrande face Chinese Super League leaders Shanghai SIPG when the league resumes following a two-month break for the World Cup.

The 28-year-old, who has scored six times in four league games, has already served one game of the ban, missing Sunday's win over Shandong Luneng.

Carvalho was sent off after 50 minutes against Tianjin when he appeared to deliberately elbow Liu in the back of the head in an off-the-ball incident.

He will remain available to play in the Asian Champions League, with Evergrande meeting Japanese side Cerezo Osaka next week.

Guangzhou are second in the Chinese Super League, three points adrift of Shanghai SIPG after five rounds.

The Chinese Football Association banned SIPG's Oscar for eight games last season after he was adjudged to have instigated a brawl.

Shanghai Shenhua defender Qin Sheng, meanwhile, was given a six-month ban for stamping on Axel Witsel's foot against Quanjian last season.