Barcelona will appeal Hansi Flick's sending-off against Girona

The board of FC Barcelona will present an appeal to the Disciplinary Committee regarding the expulsion of Hansi Flick in the match of matchday 9 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26 against Girona (2-1). The referee Jesús Gil Manzano showed the Barça coach two consecutive yellow cards for protesting the added time (4 minutes) in the second half.

According to the minutes of the refereeing body from Extremadura, Flick received the first card "for applauding one of the referee's decisions in protest." Seconds later, the coach was sent off "for making gestures with his hands in a sign of disapproval after receiving the warning."

Joan Laporta and Deco support Hansi Flick after his second dismissal in LaLiga

At the end of the ordinary general Assembly held on Sunday, Deco assured that the club will support Flick, as the coach denied having insulted Gil Manzano. On the contrary, he tried to speak with the referee at the end of the match, but the judge refused to say a word.

"I think we have to appeal, the rigor is sometimes too much against us, it always goes much more to the limit. We will do what we have to do at a legal level," argued the Azulgrana sporting director.

Barça loses Hansi Flick for El Clásico: Gil Manzano sent off the manager against Girona

Similarly, President Joan Laporta stated that Gil Manzano's attitude was not appropriate and the referee "went too far" in showing Flick the second yellow card. "This man has sent off almost all of our key players. You only have to look at his record," the Barça president concluded.

In that sense, Laporta once again made it clear that in refereeing "there is a helping hand" regarding Real Madrid's interference in decision-making. "I know it's difficult for them to lift the sanction. I told Flick that we are with him."

For the Barça coach, Saturday's sending-off was his second in LaLiga. In the 24/25 season, the Heidelberg native was sent off in matchday 16 against Betis (2-2) for protesting a penalty in favor of 'Los Verdiblancos'. On that occasion, the sanction was two games.

How did Barcelona fare without Hansi Flick on the bench?

Barça appealed the sanction, but the Competition Committee ratified Flick's punishment. This prevented the German from managing the matches against Leganés and Atlético de Madrid at Montjuïc, both of which ended in narrow defeats (0-1 and 1-2).

In other words, Barça has not been able to add points in the two previous occasions when the 59-year-old coach was suspended. The challenge next Sunday will be complex, with the visit to the Santiago Bernabéu in the first Clásico of the 25/26 season, against Real Madrid.

Since the German's arrival on the Barça bench, Barça has 4 victories in 4 matches against 'los merengues', with a balance of 16 goals for and 7 against. In his first visit to Chamartín, Flick won by a landslide (0-4). Only Pep Guardiola was able to win his first 5 Clásicos (all in the League) against the Whites.

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