Kiko Casilla joined Leeds from Real Madrid in January 2019
Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla is a "great human being" who will learn from his eight-match ban for racial abuse, says head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Casilla, 33, had denied racially abusing Charlton Athletic's Jonathan Leko, but was found guilty on Friday.
"The effect his sanction [will] have on his spirit is clear," Bielsa said after Leeds' 4-0 win at Hull.
"It's something that will impact on his behaviour. Kiko is a great human being and all the fans will support him."
Casilla was also fined £60,000 and ordered to attend a face-to-face education session, after the charge was found proven by a Football Association independent regulatory commission.
The incident took place in Charlton's win over Leeds on 28 September, with Casilla subsequently charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 following a Football Association investigation.
It was alleged the Spaniard's words "made reference to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin", constituting an aggravated breach, and the FA granted Casilla extra time to respond to the charge.
Under rules introduced for the 2019-20 season, the minimum suspension for a player found guilty of an aggravated breach of the FA's discrimination rules is six matches, which can be increased depending on any additional aggravating factors.
'Great behaviour'
Bielsa said the club accepted the outcome of the hearing, but defended the character of the former Real Madrid goalkeeper.
"The authorities expressed themselves, also Kiko, also the club. We must accept the rules of the competition and accept those decisions," he added.
"We admire Kiko for his behaviour with us. He has really impressed, with nothing negative. We saw a lot of behaviour from him where he gives support all the time to minorities, the people who are not included in society.
"Of course, he doesn't do this publicly but when the behaviour of one person is analysed, we really know that he has great behaviour in the human sense."
Casilla joined Leeds in January 2019 and had been an ever-present for the club in the Championship this season.
French teenager Illan Meslier, on loan from Lorient, played in the win at Hull on Saturday as Casilla started his ban.
Source: bbc.com