Barcelona coach Hansi Flick will not be on the bench at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday to lead his team against Real Madrid in El Clásico due to a one-match suspension.
Flick was sent off in the match against Girona after receiving two yellow cards. The Catalan club appealed the red card to the Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee, hoping to have the ban overturned.
The committee ruled on Wednesday that the appeal was rejected and the sanction stipulated in Article 120 of the Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Code was upheld, along with the corresponding additional fines under Article 52.
Fortunately, Flick’s report by referee Gil Manzano did not address the obscene gesture he made after Ronald Araujo’s goal; otherwise, the sanction would have been increased and not limited to one match.
Flick will travel with Barcelona to Madrid and will be confined to the stands, while assistant coach Michael Sorg will lead the match from the pitch. This will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the Barça players.
Barcelona thrashed Olympiacos 6-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Real Madrid prepares to face Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday before the highly anticipated El Clásico.
Real Madrid leads the La Liga standings by two points after nine rounds of matches, and Los Blancos are hoping to avenge Flick’s remarkable record of winning four head-to-head matches against them in three different competitions last season.
