Preston North End striker Milutin Osmadić faces a further three games out after headbutting an opponent – and the Montenegrin international’s rap sheet is staggering.
Milutin Osmadić sent off for headbutting an opponent (Image: Alex Dodd/Getty Images)
Milutin Osmajic was already making a name for himself before he headbutted an opponent in the nose on Tuesday night. His notoriety is now so great that his time in English football is being monitored seriously.
Preston North End were 3-0 down in the 95th minute when Osmajic aimed a blatant headbutt at Hull City midfielder John Lundstram, ending a third successive home defeat without scoring in 12 days. He was sent off in a dangerous situation towards the end of the game and will now be suspended for three games.
This is not the first failure for the Montenegro player. In fact, if he receives a three-game suspension from the FA as expected, he will have missed 20 games for disciplinary reasons in the past 16 months.
Despite their recent struggles, Preston sit sixth in the Championship and are aiming for promotion to the Premier League. Understandably, North End manager Paul Heckingbottom was excited when he spoke to the media after the match about the striker, who has scored five goals in 15 league games this season.
Asked on BBC Radio Lancashire if his chances were running out, Heckingbottom replied: “Do you think I’d say that to you? It’s worth asking…”
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He described Osmajic’s lack of discipline as “totally unacceptable”, adding: “He hasn’t learned his lesson. In terms of football, the issue has nothing to do with it. But when it comes to other things, they are professional footballers and whether it’s tackling on the pitch or discipline off the training ground, there’s a way to behave. There’s a way to be a professional.”
Former Preston goalkeeper Alan Kelly, co-commentary on BBC Radio Lancashire, said: “He has let the team down, he has let the club down, because everyone here has done everything they can to protect him and then out of nowhere he butts his head into a Hull player. He has to realize now that he can’t get away with this, given his reputation.”
Milutin Osmajic headbutts John Lundstram (Image: )
ban after ban
Preston signed Osmajic from Spanish side Cadiz in September 2023 for a club-record fee of around £2 million. He has 28 goals and five assists in 96 games, but if he were to leave today his achievements at the club would no longer be defined by his efforts in front of goal.
The 26-year-old’s disciplinary problems began in September 2024 when he was accused of biting Blackburn Rovers player Owen Beck on the neck. Although he avoided a red card that time, he was subsequently given an eight-match ban and a £15,000 fine by the FA.
Osmazic had just completed his suspension when he was accused of racially abusing Burnley’s Hannibal Mabry. The former Manchester United star wrote on social media: “I will always call out racism whenever I see or hear racism.” “That’s the only way we can change as a sport and as a society. I’m a strong person but no one should have to experience such abhorrent abuse on the pitch.”
Owen Beck was bitten in the neck by Milutin Osmadić (Image: Dave Howarth/Getty Images)
Mr. Osmajic denied the charges and Mr. Preston supported him. Despite this, the FA suspended the striker for nine games, fined him £21,000 and sent him to a compulsory education course.
Preston responded to the decision as “deeply disappointed”, adding: “We note that this outcome was determined on the basis of a ‘balance of probabilities’ and not a ‘reasonable doubt’. We also note that the FA have determined that this decision did not provide moral judgment, was not premeditated and did not make any comment on his general character. Milutin has always maintained his innocence and will continue to do so. We continue to fully support him.” of our players. ”
There may be no room for defense this time. Osmajic’s contract with Preston runs until June 2027, but recent misdemeanors have cast doubt over his future.
Hannibal Mabry claims Milutin Osmajic racially abused him (Image: Getty Images)
“There’s no chance.”
Deepdale Digest’s Ollie Dawes gave fans a perspective on the Mirror Football controversy…
The recent drama surrounding Milutin Osmajic is hugely disappointing, but it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to North End fans. For all of Osmajic’s goalscoring talent, he has been a searing headache over the past 18 months, and this episode is the final straw for many supporters.
The club supported Osmajic during his offensive biting ban and continued to support him after the incident with Hannibal Mabry. For Osmazic, finding himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons again just a few games after returning from suspension is a real pain…or maybe a pain in the neck.
Many fans have had enough, but no one knows how this will end. Osmajic still has 18 months left on his contract, and his market value has plummeted with each indiscretion.
Milutin Osmajic’s future at Preston is now in doubt (Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Some people want to sell Osmagic, but what should they do? Who wants to take a chance on a player who has scored slightly more goals than he has missed due to suspension?
It is hard to imagine North End sacking Osmajic. Let’s not forget that the Montenegrin striker is PNE’s record signing for just over £2m. This may not sound like a huge price tag at the championship level, but for PNE it is.
With the January transfer window ticking down, few would blame North End for phoning clubs and agents around the world to release Osmajic. It remains to be seen whether anyone will agree to this proposal (just kidding), but it looks like Osmajic has finally run out of chances in Deepdale.
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