PALMA DE MALLORCA,
Spain
Bundesliga runners-up Schalke 04 have suspended Belgian international Emile Mpenza for lack of commitment, Schalke general manager Rudi Aussauer said on Monday.
The club, from the Ruhr heartland of industrial Germany, imposed the open-ended ban on the eve of their Champions League match at Real Mallorca.
Aussauer was quoted by German sports news agency SID as saying: "Emile has been let go till further notice since he is not giving the impression of doing his utmost to get back into top form. A portion of his wages will be frozen."
The 23-year-old Mpenza, who last year scored 35 goals in the German championship, flew back to Germany on Monday.
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The striker is suffering from an inflammation of the lymphatic system in his groin and has been one of Schalke`s poorest performers so far this season. Schalke are seventh in the league 10 points behind leaders Kaiserslautern following a 3-0 loss to VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.
Mpenza joined Schalke at the beginning of 2000 for a club record of 8.7 million euros (7.9 million dollars).
Addressing the team on Monday, Aussauer gave a general warning: "Whoever does not want to play for Schalke should end their contract and leave the club."
Schalke, UEFA Cup winners in 1997, are last in Champions League Group C with no points from three matches.
