Hansi Flick banned for El Clasico! Barcelona boss set for sanction after being sent off for angry protests in last-gasp Girona win

As Barcelona searched for a way past Girona in the dying embers of the game, Flick was left seething when the fourth official announced there would be just four minutes of additional time at the Olympic Stadium. With emotions running high as his side chased a crucial winner in their attempts to leapfrog great rivals Real at the summit, the 60-year-old argued with the officials over the amount of time added on and received two yellow cards in quick succession from referee Jesus Gil Manzano.

However, despite being sent off, Flick was seen making a gesture near the dugout after Araujo netted the all-important winner for Barcelona. Slapping his left hand against his right arm twice, it is not clear if Flick aimed the motion towards either the referee or the fourth official after Araujo met Frenkie de Jong’s cross to spark wild celebrations among the hosts.

Flick’s dismissal means he will be absent from the touchline when Barcelona travel to Real next Sunday. The Blaugrana face Greek side Olympiacos in their next Champions League fixture on Tuesday before heading to the Santiago Bernabeu for what should be a mouth-watering clash. Despite Barcelona’s victory over Girona - which saw Axel Witsel cancel out Pedri’s opener - Real have the opportunity to reclaim top spot in La Liga when they face Getafe on Sunday.

While Barcelona have suffered a blow following Flick’s red card, they have been boosted by the return of Lamine Yamal following the persistent groin injury which saw him miss Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. Having also missed his side’s 4-1 defeat by Sevilla before the international break, Yamal was named in the starting lineup against Girona and recorded the assist for Pedri’s opener, before being substituted in the second half.

Yamal’s return provides a major boost to a Barcelona side whose injury list continues to swell, with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Gavi, Joan Garcia and Ferran Torres all currently sidelined.

Reflecting on the muscle tear sustained by Lewandowski while on international duty with Poland, Flick said before the Girona match: “Robert told me the same thing [Poland coach Jan] Urban said: that he had a bandage on and wasn't in any pain. These things happen at this time of year. International breaks are difficult. The travel, the galas, it's a shame."

When asked if the striker could have been more cautious, Flick came to his defence, saying: “Let's see, but I don't think there's another player who takes as much care of himself as Robert. He told me he didn't think it was an injury. These things happen. He takes great care of his body. Except for Ronaldo, I don't think there's anyone who takes such care of himself at his age and is as fit.”

On Raphinha’s fitness issues, Flick added: "Every case is different. I’m particularly sad about Raphinha's situation, and I think he'll be back soon. He's important for us because he's the one who puts the pressure on. That’s our plan for Madrid. Sometimes there are problems with recovery, but we hope it's there.”

Barcelona will be looking to build on their precious win over Girona when they entertain Olympiacos on Tuesday. Flick’s men began their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle on 18 September, with on-loan forward Marcus Rashford scoring twice, before losing 2-1 to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in their second fixture in Europe’s elite club competition. Barcelona had led through Torres but goals from Senny Mayulu and Goncalo Ramos saw manager Luis Enrique emerge victorious against his former paymasters. 

Meanwhile, Barcelona won all four of their Clasico clashes with Real in 2024-25, securing victories in both league fixtures alongside triumphs in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. In their most dominant performance over their old foes, Lewandowski scored twice as Barcelona ran out 4-0 winners in an emphatic league display at the Bernabeu last season.