Barça's Gerard Pique could be punished for comments after Athletic loss

The refereeing controversy unleashed after the embarrassing display from Fernández Borbalán in Barça's Copa del Rey defeat at Athletic Club could rumble on. According to COPE journalist Isaac Fouto, the Technical Committee of Referees will analyse on Monday comments made by Gerard Pique to decide if there should be consequences. If so, the centre-back could be exposed to a ban.

It is necessary to remember that after the game at San Mamés -- in which the Andalusian offficial refused two Barça penalty appeals and didn't show a straight red card to Aritz Aduriz -- Gerard Pique was very angry in the mixed zone. "The penalty on Neymar was extremely clear and the one that Gorka did to me, too," he said. "But we know how this works already. And we saw what happened yesterday in Sevilla vs Madrid. In line with what's happened recently. We want to play football and not roulette, which is what this refereeing causes."

However, at the moment there is no suggestion that Aduriz's aggression towards Samuel Umtiti will be looked in to, a punch that Fernández Borbalán left unpunished. The Andalusian referee, by the way, is the same referee who warned Messi at Mestalla for allegedly wasting time in the celebration of the winning goal while several plastic bottles were thrown from the stands.

Years ago, in addition, Fernández Borbalán also was the referee of the Clasico when Jose Mourinho poked his finger in Tito Vilanova's eye. That action ended up with just a two-game ban for the then Real Madrid coach, while Tito was given a one-game ban.