Manuel Pellegrini faces sanctions after Betis loss to Barcelona

Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has faced potential disciplinary sanctions following his harsh criticism of referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea after Betis's 2-5 defeat against Barcelona.

Pellegrini described the officiating as “lamentable” and “incomprehensible,” specifically citing the annulment of a Giovani Lo Celso goal due to a non-intentional handball by Cucho Hernández. He also criticized the decision to issue a red card to Facundo Bernal, arguing that the incident was provoked by Lamine Yamal.

Bernal faces a significant suspension of between four and 12 matches for a violent incident involving Yamal. Meanwhile, the players' union, AESAF, is considering filing a formal complaint against Pellegrini for questioning the integrity of the officiating staff, which could result in a minimum four-match ban for the manager.