Barcelona defender Gerard Pique could be banned for up to 12 matches for an extraordinary tirade at an assistant referee.
Pique was shown a straight red card in the 55th minute of Barcelona's Spanish Super Cup tie with Athletic Bilbao after furiously confronting the official - Oscar De Marcos - after a controversial offside decision.
The extent of the defender's rant was later revealed by referee Velasco Carballo's post-match notes, in which he wrote: “In the 55th minute, the player (3) Piqué Bernabéu, Gerard was sent off for the following reason: screaming at the assistant referee: ‘I s--- on your whore mother.”
Pique's behaviour rules him out of the La Liga opener - also against Bilbao - on Sunday but he is likely to be banned for much longer. While a 12-match ban is highly unlikely - and would almost certainly prompt an appeal by Barca - experts in Spain are suggesting a suspension of around five matches is probable.
Pique's fate could be decided as early as Wednesday by Francisco Rubio of the RFEF’s Competition Committee.