Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has on Saturday spoken out on the ban handed down to him by the Spanish football authorities this week.
Tactician Flick was for his part given his marching orders for the first time since making the move to Spain last Saturday.
En route to Barcelona’s 2-2 La Liga draw with Real Betis, the German was dismissed midway through the 2nd-half, after protesting against the decision to award a penalty against his side.
As per the referee’s report, Flick was shown a red card ‘for leaving the technical area shouting and gesticulating, protesting one of my decisions’.
He was hit with a two-game suspension as a result.
The Barcelona brass did launch an appeal against the sanction, but as much was knocked back, meaning the club’s headmaster will not be permitted to take his place on the touchline for upcoming fixtures against Leganés and Atlético Madrid.
Speaking to the media in his latest pre-match press conference on Saturday, it therefore came as little surprise when the topic of his ban was quickly put to Hansi Flick himself.
And though the German made clear that he accepts the decision, he also made use of the opportunity to call for equal treatment for all managers:
“I don’t think I had a great reaction. I tried to talk to Frenkie because there was something between Iñigo and Vitor Roque. When we started the season I told the team that I didn’t want any complaints on the pitch, that we should just focus on football. When the referee blows the whistle and decides, you have to accept it. You have to accept the red card, I’m in a different league. In the end, what I want is for them to blow the whistle with the same criteria on the other benches. We can’t change the things that happen on the pitch. I’m very happy with the team because they don’t complain to the referee, that’s what I wanted. The team’s attitude is fantastic. This is the path we want, our philosophy is like that. It’s normal in this business for coaches and players to analyse the games and improve. The referees can also improve. We’re all human and we make mistakes. I accept the red card and I’ll have to control my emotions better. I have this responsibility to the team.”
Conor Laird – GSFN
