Hoping that the German can sit on the bench at the Bernabéu, the Barcelona club argues that the wording of the referee's report does not correspond to the images.
FC Barcelona filed an appeal this Thursday morning with the Appeals Committee to overturn the one-match ban imposed yesterday on Hansi Flick by the Sports Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The German coach was sent off last Saturday against Girona for a second yellow card, which will prevent him from taking the bench for Barça against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu this Sunday unless the club's appeal is finalized.
The Barcelona club's initial allegations were dismissed. FC Barcelona maintains that the images contradict the referee's report by Extremaduran referee Jesús Gil Manzano. The first yellow card was in the 90th minute ("for applauding one of my decisions as a sign of protest") and the second immediately afterward "after being cautioned for making a gesture of disapproval." President Joan Laporta considered that Gil Manzano "made a mistake by waiting for Flick's reaction, as seen in the images."
If Barça's appeal to the Appeals Committee is unsuccessful, the Catalan club would only have to turn to the Spanish Football Association (CAS) to have Flick coach the team from the touchline at Chamartín Stadium. If the punishment is upheld, the German coach will be replaced by Marcus Sorg, his main assistant.