The referees ran out of patience with the Barcelona manager's antics after Ronald Koeman protested a yellow card against Sergio Busquets late in the game.
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At the moment, things do not appear to be going well for Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman. The team has been underperforming, and the results have been poor over the last week, leading to rumours of his dismissal. In the midst of all of this, the 58-year-old Dutchman will have to deal with a new problem. According to MARCA, Koeman was given a two-match touchline ban by the RFEF’s Competition Committee following his sending-off against Cadiz. Barca were held to a goalless draw by the minnows away at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla on Thursday night, in what was a frustrating outing for players, fans, and the manager alike. When things were not going well for his team, Koeman let his emotions get the better of him on the sidelines.
Throughout the competition, the former Southampton manager was seen complaining and arguing with officials over decisions. After Koeman protested a yellow card against Sergio Busquets late in the game, the referees ran out of patience with his antics in stoppage time, showing him a red card and sending him to the stands.
“In this country, they send you off for nothing! I asked why and he said ‘attitude, attitude’, we better leave it,” the manager had said about the incident speaking after the game.
The competition has now imposed an official sanction on Barcelona’s manager, handing him a two-game ban, which means Koeman will not be on the touchline when his team faces Levante this weekend and reigning champions, Atletico Madrid, a week later.
In addition to Koeman’s punishment, the competition announced that midfielder Frenkie de Jong will be suspended for one match after receiving two yellow cards and being sent off against Cadiz. The committee rejected Barcelona’s appeals against both decisions, as well as Busquets’ yellow card.
It has been a torrid start to the season for the Blaugrana so far. In La Liga, they are at seventh place after five matches and are seven points behind leaders and arch-rivals Real Madrid. In their last match in the league, Barcelona were held to a frustrating draw by Cadiz. The clash also saw Frenkie De Jong red-carded in the 65th minute.
Their start to the UEFA Champions League has not been ideal either. Barcelona were thrashed 3-0 at home by German champions Bayern Munich. They were the same side that inflicted a traumatic 8-2 defeat to the Blaugrana two years ago.
Despite Barcelona’s poor results in the last three games against Bayern Munich, Granada, and Cadiz, Koeman will remain as head coach ahead of Sunday’s game against Levante at the Camp Nou.
Club president Joan Laporta has decided not to make any drastic moves regarding Koeman’s future after the two men had the opportunity to talk on their way back to Barcelona after the club’s 0-0 draw at Cadiz.
The president and coach discussed the outcome of Thursday’s game, in which both Koeman and Frenkie de Jong were sent off by the referee. However, the Blaugrana’s next three games against Levante, Benfica, and Atletico Madrid could determine Koeman’s future at the club, as the Blaugrana need to win both LaLiga Santander and the Champions League.
