Barcelona defender could face fine and up to 12-game ban for his comments on referees

The RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) according to SPORT, could sanction Gerard Pique for his recent comments about referees. The Barcelona defender could be fined anywhere between 601-3005 euros. Pique appeared on a program alongside renowned YouTube creator DjMaRiiO, where he made bold claims about the integrity of referees in Spain.

In the interview, Pique claimed that 85% of officials give unfair decisions in favour of Real Madrid. He also went on to question the merit of Los Blancos’ La Liga title win last season: “Last season’s league is the most absurd I have seen in my life. If we compare between Madrid and Barça, there’s a huge difference”, added Pique implying that Barcelona’s rivals were favoured last season as well.

This is not the first time Gerard Pique has faced trouble for speaking his mind. And in fact, this is not the first time this season that someone from Barcelona has gotten into trouble for comments about the officials. Coach Ronald Koeman was also facing up to a twelve game ban early on in the season after he criticised the VAR after their El Clasico loss to Real Madrid. La Liga opened an investigation into the Dutchman’s comments, but he was ultimately not sanctioned.

Gerard Pique’s words, however, are rather direct and scathing. The RFEF’s Integrity Department will study the 34-year-old’s comments. If they are found to breach any regulations, the case will be passed on to the Competition Committee. Article 100 from the RFEF’s disciplinary code states that:
“Comments in the media which question the honour and impartiality of any member of the refereeing teams working with the RFEF will be sanctioned.”

It is more than likely that Pique will face disciplinary action for his comments given the brazenness of his words. The centre-back is currently recovering from a knee injury, which means a potential suspension could be applied once he returns to action.