Barcelona appeals against Valdés punishment

Barcelona will present its case to the Appeal Committee in order to reduce the four-game punishment handed to goalkeeper Víctor Valdés.

The league committee believes that although the goalie's comments to the match official were not direct insults, they were disrespectful and offensive, which therefore led to the minimum ban of four games.

The item presented by the committee reads as follows: "Insulting, being offensive and directing insulting words towards the referee, assistants, fourth official, managers or match authorities, unless it is deemed to constitute a more serious offense, will be punished with a suspension of between four to twelve games".

Barcelona thinks that another rule should have been applied, because the club believes the comments made by Valdés should only be considered as disrespectful and that the punishment should be less severe. Valdés ran towards referee Miguel Ángel Pérez Lasa in the centre circle once the final whistle was blown in Saturday's encounter between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The goalkeeper told Pérez: "You bottled it" and "You should be ashamed". He then continued his rant in the player tunnel.