FC Barcelona: Good news for Hansi Flick ahead of El Clasico | OneFootball

Hansi Flick

Just hours after Hansi Flick’s sending off during the clash against Girona, Barça have received some good news.

This Saturday, FC Barcelona scraped a hard-fought win over Girona (2-1) in La Liga, all thanks to a decisive goal from Ronald Araujo in stoppage time. It was a crucial victory for the Blaugrana, but it was overshadowed in part by the dismissal of their coach, Hansi Flick. The manager will miss El Clásico against Real Madrid after being shown a red card for dissent, following two cautions from referee Gil Manzano: the first for “clapping a decision in protest,” and the second for “a gesture of disapproval.”

However, according to COPE, as reported by journalist Joan Batllori on the show Tiempo de Juego, the Catalan club will appeal this double sanction. The sending off came in a tense finale. After Araujo’s match-winning goal, Flick let his emotions show, celebrating with several gestures. Some were deemed provocative, but according to Spanish media including COPE and Sport, none were mentioned in Gil Manzano’s official report. This detail is crucial, because without any aggravating factors noted, the suspension is limited to just one match. In more serious cases, it could have stretched to as many as six.

This isn’t Flick’s first sending off in La Liga. Back in December against Betis, he was already sent to the stands for protesting a penalty awarded against Frenkie de Jong. On that occasion, the RFEF suspended him for two matches. Once again, the club’s appeal might be rejected, but COPE reports that Barça remain optimistic, especially since the referee’s report makes no mention of insults or direct offensive gestures.