Espanyol Coach Javier Aguirre could be banned from the touchline for four games if he is found guilty of abusing a referee.
Aguirre was sent to the stands after protesting a decision by Iglesias Villanueva during Espanyol’s 1-0 defeat to Osasuna on Sunday, with the Mexican said to have directed insulting and derogatory language towards the official.
The Competition Committee will meet on Wednesday to decide if Aguirre’s comments were abusive, insulting and derogatory. A four-game ban is the minimum punishment the former Zaragoza boss will face if what he said is found to be derogatory, starting with that evening’s Copa del Rey fixture at Alcorcon.
Aguirre would also be banned for the visit of Real Madrid, the return leg against Alcorcon, and the home game against Celta Vigo. Fabio Coentrao, Sergio Ramos and Sergio Garcia were all banned last season for similar offences.
Marca report however that Espanyol will argue Aguirre’s words were not derogatory and push for a more lenient punishment of two games, the ban given to Athletic Bilbao’s Aritz Aduriz.
