Barcelona suffers a heavy blow in the El Clasico match

Following his dismissal in the closing moments of the 2-1 win against Girona, Barcelona’s head coach Hansi Flick has received a suspension, preventing him from participating in the El Clasico clash with Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu.

Barcelona secures a thrilling 2-1 win over Girona in the 9th round of La Liga, but the full joy for the Catalan side was overshadowed by a red card shown to coach Hansi Flick during stoppage time. At the 90+2 minute mark, referee Gil Manzano issued a direct red card to the German coach after he strongly protested that only four minutes of added time were given.

Flick then left the pitch looking visibly angry, before witnessing Ronald Araujo score the decisive goal at 90+3 minutes, securing a nerve-wracking victory for Barca. Although the team ended a disappointing streak following two consecutive losses to Sevilla and PSG, the coach’s expulsion cast a shadow over the celebratory mood.

According to La Liga regulations, a red card for a coach results in at least a one-match ban, and if the offense is dissent against the referee, the suspension can be extended to two matches. This means Hansi Flick will definitely be unable to directly manage Barcelona in the crucial away game against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu next weekend.

This El Clasico is seen as a pivotal moment in the title race, especially with Real Madrid under Xabi Alonso maintaining strong form with a 7-match unbeaten streak in La Liga. Despite squad issues with injuries to Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold, they can welcome back Kylian Mbappe, who is expected to make a significant impact.

Meanwhile, Barcelona continues to struggle with injuries to key players such as Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha. However, the victory over Girona demonstrated the team’s mental strength and tactical flexibility. Pedri remained a standout in midfield, while Ronald Araujo—deployed as an emergency forward—became the hero by securing the valuable three points.

Flick’s absence in the El Clasico is viewed as a significant loss for Barcelona. The German coach is known for quickly reading the game and making flexible adjustments in real-time, a crucial factor in tense matches against Real Madrid. Nevertheless, his assistant staff, led by Toni Tapalovic, will take over the coaching duties.

Hansi Flick is expected to watch from the stands at Bernabeu, observing his team face Real Madrid under immense pressure. After receiving his first red card since arriving in La Liga, he will pay a high price by missing the most important match of the season—where even a small mistake could determine the title race.

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