UEFA lifts Hansi Flick's punishment before Newcastle-Barcelona
Published New:12/09/2025 - 16:09h
Updated New:12/09/2025 - 16:09h
Barça has good news ahead of the Champions League visit against Newcastle. Hansi Flick and his assistant Marcus Sorg will finally be able to be on the bench at St. James Park
FC Barcelona will debut in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League on Thursday, September 18, visiting Newcastle (9:00 PM CEST), a match where, luckily, the Blaugrana team will be able to count on their coach Hansi Flick and his first assistant, Marcus Sorg.
Both will be able to lead the team on the bench at St. James Park, as UEFA lifted the suspension assigned to both as a result of their complaints to the referee Szymon Marciniak at the end of the Inter-Barça (4-3) for the return of the 'semis' of the previous edition. Finally, the appeal presented by the club received a positive response, conditioned by recidivism.
What does this mean? That, throughout 25/26, both Flick and Sorg must be careful not to incur in similar incidents. Otherwise, they will serve another day of suspension in any phase of the tournament.
Hansi Flick and Marcus Sorg escape sanction, for now
According to the UEFA resolution, "due to the violation of the general principles and basic rules of decent conduct (in accordance with articles 11.1 and 11.2b of the DR)", both coaches will remain on probation for one year.
In its argument, Barça assured that none of its coaches had "insulting, degrading and completely disrespectful behavior" against Marciniak and his collaborators during and after the match. Similarly, the two coaches had not been previously sanctioned for similar incidents.
Therefore, UEFA decided to lift the punishment against Hansi Flick and Marcus Sorg, who will be able to perform their duties normally in the Blaugrana debut in the Champions League. Last season, the culés added 4 wins and 3 losses in their three matches away from home in the tournament.
Flick's Barça seeks to forget its bitter debut in the 2024 Champions League
Barcelona started losing in Monaco (2-1), in a bitter day in the Principality conditioned by a costly mistake in Ter Stegen's exit that led to the early expulsion of Eric García. Lamine Yamal scored in the first half, but the French took the victory with goals from Akliouche and Ilenikhena.
Afterwards, they added 6 wins in a row to secure their direct spot to the round of 16. There they would beat Benfica (4-1 on aggregate), while the quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund ended with a 5-3 aggregate. The Catalan team fell in 'semis' against Inter, in a spectacular tie resolved in extra time (7-6 aggregate).
After the defeat in Milan against the 'nerazzurris', Lamine Yamal and Raphinha were also sanctioned for being late to the doping control. Both received a fine of 5,000 euros, although without days of punishment.
Newcastle will face Barcelona with two possible very sensitive casualties
Newcastle, for its part, returns to the Champions League after a season of absence with a much more limited squad after the departure of its star, Aleksander Isak. The Swede left for Liverpool on the last day of the market, for 150 million euros.
In addition, Eddie Howe's team will not be able to count on their star summer reinforcement on Thursday, Jacob Ramsey. The midfielder will be out due to an ankle injury. To make matters worse, Isak's replacement, the striker Yoane Wissa, is also doubtful due to a strong blow to the knee suffered with the Congo national team during the break.
