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8 months ago
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Earlier this month, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez was handed a two-match suspension by the RFEF Competitions Committee, after he was sent off in the game against Atletico Madrid.
The Barcelona head coach was sent off by referee José María Sánchez Martínez after the former protested some of his decisions vigourously on the touchlines at the Civitas Metropolitano and even said things to the fourth official.
Barcelona’s appeal rejected
Following the incident, the Competitions Committee had issued a two-match ban for Xavi, which would entail that the manager would miss Barcelona’s games against Las Palmas and Cadiz.
The ruling was not as bad as some thought as there were some expectations that Xavi could be suspended for three matches, in which case he would miss the Clasico, as he was a repeat offender.
Xavi was sent off vs Atletico Madrid. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)Following the verdict, Barcelona decided to lodge an appeal to overturn the decision with the Appeals Committee.
However, as per MARCA, the RFEF Appeals Committee has shot down the appeal and upheld the two-match ban imposed on the Barça first-team coach.
In their appeal, Barcelona claimed that there was a ‘manifest material error’ in the referee’s report of the match, a circumstance that the Appeals Body did not accept based on the evidence presented by the Catalan club.
What was mentioned in the referee’s report?
Referee Sánchez Martínez explained the sending-off of the Barcelona head coach in the match report as follows:
“In the 42nd minute the coach Xavier Hernández Creus was sent off for the following reason: For making observations of a technical nature to one of my decisions, shouting, making inconsiderate gestures and after having been previously warned by the fourth official.”
Therefore, Xavi will not be able to sit on the bench this Saturday against Las Palmas in Montjuic and the following matchday against Cadiz away at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla.
