Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has cast his availability for the Clasico match with Real Madrid on December 10 into doubt after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season in La Liga.

Having received the booking during the 4-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday, the Spain international will automatically miss Barca's next fixture, against Levante this Saturday, and return for the showdown against Los Blancos in the following game with his yellow card limit wiped clean.
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However, Pique could now face a two-game ban if it is deemed that the booking he earned against Rayo was deliberate.

Modifications had been made to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Disciplinary Code in 2011, which states that any deliberate intent to receive a fifth yellow card can lead to an additional match suspension.

Article 112 of the Disciplinary Code reads: "Any player, who during the course of a game, provokes a fifth booking may be sanctioned with, in addition to the penalty provided for in the first paragraph of this article [a standard one-game ban], an extra one game suspension and fined the amount of €600. In determining the intent of the player, circumstances will be taken into account such as the nature of the breaching of the game rules and the attitude of the player during the match."

Evidence that will be taken into account include minutes taken by referee Perez Lasa during the Barcelona match against Rayo.

According to AS, Lasa noted in his referee match report: "On 83 minutes the player (3) Gerard Pique was booked for the following reason: Delaying the restart of play for his team with the intention of wasting time."

Barcelona are currently three points behind Real Madrid in the Primera Division league table, but have played one game more.

kiranr wrote:
If this is true and Alonso is not even being considered, then it is a clear case of favouring Madrid in my book.

EarlyPrototype wrote:

kiranr wrote:
If this is true and Alonso is not even being considered, then it is a clear case of favouring Madrid in my book.

Alonso got booked from breaking up a counter attack when it was 1-1.

Pique got booked in the 83rd minute whilst being 4-0 up against Rayo by wasting time on the ball deliberatley.

I don't know about you, but one of them seem suspicious to me. The ref also mentioned that it Pique did it deliberately.

jiopsi wrote:Refdrid's Xabi Alonso's deliberate and pointless fifth foul against "Real" Madrid on saturday



Expect both get suspensions, or none. Else it's just more power to the conspiracy theories which has plagued La Liga this season.

teamanarchy wrote:

jiopsi wrote:Refdrid's Xabi Alonso's deliberate and pointless fifth foul against "Real" Madrid on saturday



Expect both get suspensions, or none. Else it's just more power to the conspiracy theories which has plagued La Liga this season.

And let's not forget... It will give you a great excuse in case you lose the clasico...

Because just admitting the other team is better and showing a little humility is absolutely out of the question.

jiopsi wrote:Counter-attack? Xabi was third highest Refdrid player. Let it flow my friends.

teamanarchy wrote:

jiopsi wrote:Counter-attack? Xabi was third highest Refdrid player. Let it flow my friends.

Because counter-attacks don't begin in your own half ever, do they...
Counter-attacks, by definition, begin in front of your own goal...
Am I right?

kiranr wrote:

EarlyPrototype wrote:

kiranr wrote:
If this is true and Alonso is not even being considered, then it is a clear case of favouring Madrid in my book.

Alonso got booked from breaking up a counter attack when it was 1-1.

Pique got booked in the 83rd minute whilst being 4-0 up against Rayo by wasting time on the ball deliberatley.

I don't know about you, but one of them seem suspicious to me. The ref also mentioned that it Pique did it deliberately.

If Jiopsi's picture is correct, it does not look like breaking up a counter attack!

teamanarchy wrote:

jiopsi wrote:Counter-attack? Xabi was third highest Refdrid player. Let it flow my friends.

Because counter-attacks don't begin in your own half ever, do they...
Counter-attacks, by definition, begin in front of your own goal...
Am I right?

EarlyPrototype wrote:

kiranr wrote:

EarlyPrototype wrote:

kiranr wrote:
If this is true and Alonso is not even being considered, then it is a clear case of favouring Madrid in my book.

Alonso got booked from breaking up a counter attack when it was 1-1.

Pique got booked in the 83rd minute whilst being 4-0 up against Rayo by wasting time on the ball deliberatley.

I don't know about you, but one of them seem suspicious to me. The ref also mentioned that it Pique did it deliberately.

If Jiopsi's picture is correct, it does not look like breaking up a counter attack!

Thing is you see fouls like tha in La Liga week in week out.

Watch this from 22:45 onwards tell me this was not similar to the time wasting real madrid dis vs ajax!

jiopsi wrote:

teamanarchy wrote:

jiopsi wrote:Refdrid's Xabi Alonso's deliberate and pointless fifth foul against "Real" Madrid on saturday



Expect both get suspensions, or none. Else it's just more power to the conspiracy theories which has plagued La Liga this season.

And let's not forget... It will give you a great excuse in case you lose the clasico...

Because just admitting the other team is better and showing a little humility is absolutely out of the question.

Irony meter isn't applicable anymore after this quote.

teamanarchy wrote:

jiopsi wrote:

teamanarchy wrote:

jiopsi wrote:Refdrid's Xabi Alonso's deliberate and pointless fifth foul against "Real" Madrid on saturday



Expect both get suspensions, or none. Else it's just more power to the conspiracy theories which has plagued La Liga this season.

And let's not forget... It will give you a great excuse in case you lose the clasico...

Because just admitting the other team is better and showing a little humility is absolutely out of the question.

Irony meter isn't applicable anymore after this quote.

You haven't been a member of this community for very long, have you?
Well, I've been here since 08, and after every clasico loss, with the exception of the CL semi loss, I congratulated Barca on being the better team., and managed to admit it.

But, what's really concerning here is that the game is still yet to be played, and you're already blaming the refs... Almost like you know you're gonna lose.

It's a pity.

EarlyPrototype wrote:Ramos and Iker got suspended for what they did to Ajax. Pique's is no different so he should be suspended too. I don't even think Alonso is being looked at by the RFEF.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:

EarlyPrototype wrote:Ramos and Iker got suspended for what they did to Ajax. Pique's is no different so he should be suspended too. I don't even think Alonso is being looked at by the RFEF.

They got suspended for one game, not two like the article in the OP is saying.

EarlyPrototype wrote:Ramos and Iker got suspended for what they did to Ajax. Pique's is no different so he should be suspended too. I don't even think Alonso is being looked at by the RFEF.