Barcelona’s premier striker Robert Lewandowski has been issued a three-match ban in La Liga by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following his red card against Osasuna last week.
Lewandowski was sent off in the game for two separate yellow card offences first when he dragged Nacho Vidal back in the 11th minute followed by another 20 minutes later for appearing to elbow David Garcia in the face.
A three-match ban for a red card resulting from two offences is unprecedented but according to the RFEF’s statement the striker’s gesture towards the official after he was shown the red card that was of “contemptuous attitude towards the referees”.
Girad Pigue was also sent off in that very same game despite being on the substitute’s bench. The retiring defender was given a four-game ban due to complaining to and insulting the referee but it has been made redundant by the fact that he will never appear in another league game as a player ever.
Meanwhile, for Lewandowski, it was only the second red card of his career, almost 10 years after he was sent off in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund against Hamburg in February 2013.
Robert Lewandowski, who is set to lead Poland at the World Cup in Qatar, will serve his La Liga ban against Espanyol, Atletico Madrid and Getafe when the league resumes.
The 34-year-old has scored 13 league goals for his new club in 14 games thus far.
