Barcelona will miss two key players in El Clasico due to ‘disciplinary code’

Barcelona’s narrow 1-0 win over Las Palmas was a joyous occasion for the team, but the win might cost more than they anticipated.

During the match, the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Joao Cancelo and Inigo Martinez received caution, prompting them to miss the upcoming match against Cadiz due to automatic suspension.

Interestingly enough, though, it has been learned that Lewandowski and Cancelo’s bookings were intensional as a caution for any of them against Cadiz would have prompted them to miss the all-important El Clasico.

So what now?

Per the disciplinary rules of the Spanish Football Federation, Lewandowski and Cancelo are facing a two-match suspension after deliberately earning yellow cards in yesterday’s match against Las Palmas. As a result, they will be absent for El Clasico.

The RFEF Disciplinary Code is very clear on this issue. It states that if a footballer deliberately earns a warning in order to serve a suspension match, they must serve the punishment for that warning plus an additional one – in other words, two matches in total. 

Joao Cancelo is facing suspension against Real Madrid. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

This was precisely what happened with Lewandowski and Cancelo, despite many people either refusing to acknowledge it or arguing that it is impossible to prove. Naturally, they will deny it, but the actions of both players clearly reveal their intentions.

So why not Martinez?

For what it is worth, Martinez did not intentionally seek out that yellow card that now rules him out of the next match, as it is illogical for a centre-back to purposely get booked with thirty minutes left on the clock. 

However, what Lewandowski did was downright audacious. Despite being signalled from the sideline for substitution, he ignored it, opting to wait until the referee decided to caution him deliberately and provocatively.

Cancelo, on the other hand, deliberately sought to receive a yellow card in the 89th minute, despite the game being essentially finished. He unnecessarily kicked an opponent during the action, which was clearly provoked.