Pep Guardiola Faces Severe UEFA Ban

Domestically in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola has pushed the boundaries by wearing his yellow ribbon in support of Catalan independence during games.

However, after this week’s Champions League defeat to Liverpool, the Spanish boss is set to be hit with a double punishment from UEFA.

Guardiola is in trouble for two reasons.

The first stemmed from his dismissal at halftime in the Champions League match.

After Leroy Sane’s goal was incorrectly chalked off against Liverpool, Guardiola received his marching orders after telling referee Mateu Lahoz to “shut your mouth”.

Then, sat in the stands in the second half, Guardiola breached the terms of his dismissal by continuing to issue instructions to his team.

Guardiola stands accused of telling coach Carles Planchart to bring on Sergio Aguero in the second half. As explained in the Times:

Pep Guardiola is facing a three-match touchline ban in the Champions League after UEFA accused him of two separate offences: making abusive comments to a referee, then defying the official again by influencing a substitution having been sent to the stands.

He will serve an automatic one-match touchline European ban for his dismissal. If UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body decides at a hearing on May 31 that Guardiola directed abusive language towards the referee, it could ban him for two further matches.

Of course, Man City fans have long held UEFA in distain. The Champions League music is regularly booed at the Eithad Stadium.

Should Guardiola be slapped with a three match touchline ban, the friction between City and UEFA will no doubt grow.

Source: 101greatgoals