Luiz Felipe Scolari has been handed a three-match touchline ban that could mean the manager has sat on the Guangzhou Evergrande bench for the final time.
Scolari's current contract with the Chinese Super League champions expires on Nov. 30 and, with no confirmation the World Cup-winning Brazilian will sign a further extension to his existing deal, he may well not return to the Guangzhou dugout.
The Chinese Football Association handed the former Chelsea and Portugal boss the three game ban on Friday after he was sent to the stands during Guangzhou's dramatic 4-3 win over Yanbian Funde last weekend.
The win saw Evergrande extend their lead at the top of the Chinese Super League standings over Shanghai SIPG to six points with three games remaining and, with head-to-head records counting as a tie-breaker, Guangzhou could win a seventh-straight title this week.
Victory over Guizhou Zhicheng on Sunday coupled with a defeat for Andre Villas-Boas' SIPG when they face Guangzhou R&F would hand Scolari his third Chinese Super League crown in his two-and-a-half seasons in charge.
The Brazilian also guided Guangzhou to the Chinese FA Cup last season and the AFC Champions League in 2015.