The Competition Committee has decided to penalize Robert Lewandowski with three games for his expulsion and subsequent gesture towards the referee, Gil Manzano, in last day's match of the Santander League between Barça and Osasuna in El Sadar that ended in victory blaugrana (1-2).
"In application of the provisions of article 124 of the Disciplinary Code of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the sanction is a two-game suspension for having addressed the referee with an attitude of contempt or inconsideration," reads the statement from the competent body, which He had previously dismissed the Barcelona club's allegations. However, Barça will appeal the decision in the coming days to try to reduce the penalty for its star.
The Polish forward, top scorer in the domestic competition with 13 goals, saw the second yellow card for an action in the 30th minute and when he went to the bench he repeatedly touched his nose and pointed to the referee, a gesture that in Poland would mean arrogance. Lewandowski will be suspended for three games, one for the red card and two for the subsequent action.
In the absence of knowing if the Catalan club's appeal prospers, the striker will miss the matches against Espanyol, Atlético de Madrid and Getafe. He could reappear in the blaugrana's cup debut (January 3, 4 or 5) or in the Spanish Super Cup against Betis on January 12, while in the League he would play again in the duel against Girona on matchday 19 in Montilivi at the end of January.
"My gesture was for Xavi, not for the referee," the forward defended himself about his controversial gesture at the gala where he received his second Golden Boot. The man from Warsaw is concentrating these days with Poland waiting to debut in the World Cup from Qatar, where in the group stage they will face Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.
For his part, Gerard Piqué, already retired, has been sanctioned with four games. "By virtue of article/s 99 of the Disciplinary Code, considering that the facts included in the minutes are carried out in an action unit, with an accessory fine to the club in the amount of €1,400.00 and €2,400.00 to the offender in application of art. 52", the text justifies the penalty for the former defender, sent off at half-time. The Catalan, a substitute at El Sadar, addressed Gil Manzano after the end of the first half and, according to the minutes, told him "it's a fucking shame, I shit on your fucking mother", an insult that the former player denied in an interview later.
