Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has been given three-match ban in La Liga for displaying “disrespect” in direction of a referee, which he’ll serve when Spanish home soccer resumes after the World Cup. The Polish striker was despatched off for 2 bookings towards Osasuna on November 8 and made a gesture, touching his nostril as he left the pitch, which was thought of disrespectful to referee Jesus Gil Manzano. In addition to the automated one-match suspension, an additional two matches had been imposed on the striker for displaying “an attitude of contempt or disrespect” in direction of the official, the Spanish FA mentioned in a doc on Wednesday.

Lewandowski, the league’s prime scorer on 13 objectives, is ready to overlook the derby towards Espanyol and video games towards Atletico Madrid and Getafe. “It’s humorous, as a result of the gesture was for Xavi, not for the referee,” mentioned Lewandowski final week at a ceremony the place he obtained the Golden Boot for ending as Europe’s prime scorer final season at Bayern Munich.

“Last week, I think, we already talked about being careful if we were booked, because something like that could happen, and, in the end, it did. It’s my fault, I saw two yellow cards, but the gesture was for (Xavi).”

Barcelona could enchantment the suspension. Gerard Pique, who was on the bench and likewise despatched off for insulting the referee, has been issued a four-game ban — nevertheless the Spanish defender has retired from soccer so won’t serve it.

Barcelona got here from behind to win the sport 2-1, leaving them two factors forward of champions Real Madrid on the prime of the desk, after 14 video games.