After their appeal was rejected by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Barcelona manager Hansi Flick will serve a one-match suspension and miss this weekend's El Clásico match against Real Madrid. Assistant coach Marcus Sorg will take charge of the team from the bench at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Details of Flick's suspension:
The incident: Flick was sent off by referee Jesús Gil Manzano during Barcelona's 2-1 victory over Girona on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
He received two quick yellow cards during stoppage time for his protests.
The appeal: Barcelona filed an appeal to have the suspension overturned, but it was dismissed by the RFEF's disciplinary committee.The ruling: The committee upheld the one-match suspension, stating that the referee's decisions in a match are "presumed to be true, except for manifest material error".
The impact on Barcelona for El Clásico:
With Flick unable to direct the team from the touchline, the responsibility will fall to assistant Marcus Sorg.The absence of the head coach will likely have a tactical and psychological impact on the team in one of the most important matches of the season.
The upcoming match, scheduled for Sunday, October 26, is a crucial fixture in the La Liga title race.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco have publicly expressed their frustration with the refereeing decision, stating that they felt Flick was harshly treated.
Flick's reaction:
After the red card, Flick was quoted as saying, "I don't like seeing myself in this state on television,
and I don't want my grandchildren to see their grandfather like that. So I probably have to change my behaviour".