Lewandowski’s 3-match ban confirmed, he cannot play against Atlético. Espanyol are angry

Robert Lewandowski finally knows where he stands. His 3-match ban is now in effect and he will not play in the next three league games. The bad news for Barcelona is that they will challenge Atlético Madrid on their pitch in the weekend’s showpiece.

At least statistically, the Polish goal scorer has caught on well at Barcelona. Before the start of the World Cup he scored 13 goals and added 4 assists in 14 games.

However, in the last game against Osasuna he saw a red card for his elbow and was given a three-match suspension for his subsequent gestures to the referee, suggesting bribery.

Barcelona appealed, La Liga rejected it. But just before the first leg against Espanyol, it appealed to the Sports Administrative Tribunal (TAD), which suspended Lewandowski’s stoppage until the dispute was resolved.

The Polish striker was thus able to start the weekend derby against Espanyol, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Xavi let it be known at the press conference that he thinks Lewandowski will start against Atlético this weekend and his punishment will be lifted.

However, he miscalculated. The TAD met on Wednesday afternoon and upheld Lewandowski’s 3 match ban. He will thus miss the duels against Atlético Madrid, Getafe and Girona. He will return to action in the match against Real Betis, scheduled for 1 February.

However, Espanyol are very unhappy. According to the rules, Lewandowski should not have played against them when the penalty is valid, so the Catalan club feels aggrieved and is asking for a suspension. But this will not happen, as the administrative court suspended the penalty, so Lewandowski could start.

So coach Xavi has to look for options on who he will send to play in this weekend’s showpiece. He doesn’t have many alternatives, there is only one pure striker in the squad already, and that is Memphis Depay, whom Xavi doesn’t trust at all and has only sent him for 2 games. There are also “false nines” in the form of Ansu Fati or Ferran Torres.

Source: MARCA