Marcus Sorg to take charge at Bernabeu after RFEF upholds one-match ban
Barcelona will head into Sunday’s clásico without head coach Hansi Flick after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) rejected the club’s appeal against his red card.
The decision means the German will serve a one-match touchline ban, leaving his assistant Marcus Sorg in charge for the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Flick was dismissed during last weekend’s 2-1 win over Girona after receiving two yellow cards in stoppage time. The first came for sarcastically applauding the amount of added time, the second for an animated protest shortly after.
In their appeal Barcelona argued that the referee’s account “did not correspond to what happened”, but the RFEF’s disciplinary committee dismissed the claim, saying there was “no evidence whatsoever” to contradict the report.
The committee confirmed a one-match suspension and a small fine.
Club president Joan Laporta publicly backed Flick, criticising both the referee’s handling of the incident and his record in previous high-profile matches.
“The referee went too far,” said Laporta. “We’ve appealed both cards, though I know it’s difficult to get them overturned. I told the coach we stand with him.”
However, Laporta also took the increasingly common route in La Liga of criticising the referee and suggesting bias against his side.
“This man has always sent off all the players who stand out,” Laporta said. “He has a CV to show for it. We always think nothing will happen and it always ends up happening.
Barcelona’s sporting director Deco said: “The referees against us are always stricter. They go much further to the limit.”
