The Disciplinary Committee of the RFEF has suspended Hansi Flick, head coach of Barcelona, for two matches following his expulsion during the match against Betis. The German coach had been sanctioned for his behavior, considered improper, after he protested heatedly against a controversial penalty decision during the game.
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According to referee Muñiz Ruiz, Flick had stepped out of the technical area, shouting and signaling, clearly in a fit of anger over the call. This reasoning has been fundamental to sanctioning under Article 127 of the RFEF Disciplinary Code-which considers a suspension of up to three games against protests for refereeing decisions that are not aggressive in nature. Though there is a possibility of an appeal, the club without their coach now faces critical matches. The Catalan team go into the critical phase with lots of questions and challenges.
Immediate impact
The suspension thus means Hansi Flick will not be on the bench in 2024 for matches against Leganés next weekend and Atlético de Madrid on December 21, the highly-anticipated clash at the Olympic Stadium. That also means he will return to the direct command of the team in La Liga in mid-January 2025, as his return is scheduled to face Getafe in match day 20 of the League on January 18th or 19th.
However, the suspension does not extend to other competitions such as the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, both of which take place in early January. This allows Flick to remain on the sidelines for those decisive matches, provided Barcelona progresses.
The committee's reasoning
Barcelona presented video evidence to contest the referee's account and plead for a "manifest material error," but the committee rejected the club's claims. In its ruling, the committee said the video does not contradict the referee's report and underlined that the referee, from his privileged position, was better placed to interpret what happened.
The official report described Flick as leaving the technical area and continuing his gestures and protests even after being shown the red card. The committee underlined that while tensions and disagreements are normal during high-stake games, nothing justifies such a reaction.
Appeal options for Barcelona
Unwilling to back down, Barcelona has decided to appeal to the RFEF Appeals Committee, opening the door for a possible overturn of the decision. If unsuccessful, the club can escalate the matter to the Administrative Court of Sport (TAD), overseen by Spain's National Sports Council (CSD).
Another option would be to request a precautionary measure that would allow Flick to continue coaching the team while his appeal is heard. To this date, however, Barcelona have not pursued this avenue in similar situations.
Context and challenges for the coach
The suspension arrives at a sensitive time for Flick and Barcelona. The team is going through an inconsistent spell, and the showdown with Atlético de Madrid is crucial to staying competitive in the race for the top of the table. Barça currently trails rivals Real Madrid by just two points, who hold second place. And to lose their coach for the most significant December fixtures only serves to complicate matters further, not least because the team has managed a mere win from their last five La Liga matches.
It was, of course, a natural reaction to the heat of the game, but an outburst that only raises again concerns about self-control and discipline under pressure. For a club still looking for some stability after turbulent seasons, absences on the touchline tend to have an exaggerated impact.
At the same time, though, dubious refereeing decisions do tend to inflame passions, especially in a division in which every point assumes greater importance. Whether Barcelona succeeds with their appeal or Flick has to witness events from afar, from where even from a distance his presence is still bound to be felt, remains to be seen.