Official: Espanyol file complaint against Lewandowski’s availability for Catalan derby

Barcelona’s game against Espanyol was full of controversy both on and off the pitch, as the two sides ultimately shared the spoils at Camp Nou.

While Mateu Lahoz broke his own record by dishing out 14 yellow cards and two red cards, which contributed to a loss of 19 minutes and 20 seconds of time, off the field, Espanyol were furious at Madrid Central Court’s decision to offer momentary relief to Robert Lewandowski’s suspension.

Just a few days after the game, Espanyol have now confirmed they have lodged an official complaint to RFEF against the decision to let Lewandowski feature in the derby.

The Catalans have deemed the move an ‘injustice’ and suggested that it also harms the competition in the league.

“This flagrant injustice puts the essence of our competition at risk and this injustice it is based on a hasty resolution and with obvious legal deficiencies,” the club said.

The complaint letter also seems to suggest Espanyol want all three points from the game as Barcelona should not have fielded Robert Lewandowski. In essence, they have challenged the outcome of the derby.

“RCD Espanyol has submitted a letter of complaint to the Real Federación Española de Futbol (RFEF) to challenge the match against FC Barcelona, ​​corresponding to the 15th round of LaLiga, for improper alignment,” read the official statement.

The Polish forward had picked up a three-match during Barcelona’s league game against Osasuna, just before the start of the World Cup. He was handed a one-game suspension for picking up two yellow cards while two more matches were added to the ban after he allegedly put out a gesture towards referee Gil Manzano.

With that in mind, Lewandowski was unavailable for the derby against Espanyol. But after the court’s relief, the forward was allowed to play, leaving Espanyol extremely frustrated.

The complaint letter from Espanyol comes just a few days after the club had already put out a statement against the decision, suggesting there will be no official representation inside the stadium.