Barcelona will have to face Real Madrid in the season’s first El Clásico without their head coach, Hansi Flick. The Catalan club’s coach will not be allowed on the sidelines in tomorrow’s high-voltage clash against Real Madrid.
Last week, in a La Liga match against Girona, Flick was shown two yellow cards and was sent off from the dugout. As a result, he received a one-match ban. Barcelona appealed against this decision, but the Disciplinary Committee upheld the ruling, confirming the one-match suspension.
The club later filed another appeal, which was also rejected by the Appeals Committee. Consequently, Flick will be a spectator for El Clásico. In his absence, assistant coach Marcus Sorg is expected to take charge from the dugout. Sorg previously led the team twice last season — against Leganés and Atlético Madrid.
However, those two matches did not go well for Barça, as they lost both — a 0–1 defeat at home to Leganés and a 1–2 loss to Atlético Madrid. Flick’s absence at the Santiago Bernabéu might therefore give Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid a slight edge.
Barcelona, though, have the upper hand in recent encounters, having won each of the last four El Clásicos. Last season, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and company celebrated victory every time they met their archrivals. Fans will now be watching to see if Alonso’s new-look Real can put an end to Barça’s winning streak.
TSN