The Italian defender is set to attend tomorrow’s hearing in person and will deny allegations that he racially abused Norwich City striker Cameron Jerome during a Championship game in October.
The centre-back is accused of calling Jerome a “negro” midway through the first half of a 1-1 draw between Leeds and Norwich at Carrow Road on October 21.
Bellusci has protested his innocence since the claim against him was passed to the FA by match referee Mark Clattenburg and United promised him their full support after the 25-year-old was charged with misconduct by the governing body on December 22.
The FA has not made the date or location of Bellusci’s hearing public and it declined to comment when contacted by the YEP yesterday.
Sources close to the process do not expect the disciplinary commission to deliver its verdict immediately and a ruling on Bellusci’s charge is more likely to come next week. The defender, who is currently one game into a mandatory two-match ban after his red card in last month’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth, will face a lengthy suspension if the FA finds him guilty.
The organisation’s rules were rewritten in 2013 to impose a minimum ban of five games on any player found guilty of racism or other discriminatory behaviour.