SEVILLE — Facundo Bernal is looking at a ban of at least four matches after the referee’s report said he headbutted Lamine Yamal twice in the face during Real Betis’ 5-2 defeat to Barcelona on Saturday, Goal reported.
The red card was the sharpest edge of an afternoon Barcelona still won with room to spare, their ninth league victory from nine. Yamal, who reached 50 Barcelona goals at 19 last month, opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a curled shot from outside the box.
The report itself is blunt. Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea wrote that Bernal “grabbed his opponent by the neck and headbutted him twice in succession in the face, while the ball was not in play,” and that the opposing player “did not require medical assistance and was able to complete the match.” Goal reported that Article 103 of the disciplinary code sets a ban of four to 12 matches for such an assault when no injury results, and six to 15 when one does.
By Yahoo Sports’ account, Rodri’s header and a Gabriel Jesus tap-in set up by Yamal put Barcelona ahead before Betis scored and a fight broke out, with Bernal sent off for the headbutt. The referee’s report puts the dismissal in the 54th minute, Goal reported.
The report also flagged Betis coach Manuel Fajardo Mateo, who it said “kicked the ball located in the fourth official’s area, causing it to strike his leg and resulting in a slight injury.” Goal reported that whether he can be disciplined depends on his official registration, and that Betis could otherwise face a fine.
Hansi Flick was able to rest Yamal late on, Yahoo Sports reported, and Dani Olmo’s strike made it 5-2 with 10 minutes to go.
What the reporting does not settle is Yamal’s own part. The passages of the referee’s report that Goal published describe only the headbutts, and they do not say what Yamal did before them.
