File photo of FC Barcelona head coach Hans-Dieter Flick.
Madrid: FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick will almost certainly have to watch Sunday's 'Clasico' against Real Madrid from the stands after being given a one-game touchline ban by the Disciplinary Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Wednesday for his sending off in last weekend's 2-1 win at home to Girona.
Flick was sent off after being shown two yellow cards for protesting decisions by matchday referee Gil Manzano, who nevertheless failed to include the obscene fist-pumping gesture the German made while standing in an area he should have been excluded from after being sent off.
Barcelona appealed against the sending off, arguing that Manzano's post-game report didn't match what actually happened during the game, but the RFEF rejected that allegation and suspended him for one game.
Barcelona has confirmed that it will launch one final appeal to try and have its coach available for the first vital game of the season, but at the moment that looks unlikely.
Flick can in some ways consider himself fortunate to have only been given a one-game ban, given that Manzano failed to include his obscene gesture in his report.
Earlier this season Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde was handed a four-game touchline ban for sarcastically applauding a red card for substitute goalkeeper Alex Padilla during his side's 2-1 win away to Betis earlier this season.
