It’s funny how things can go horribly wrong, especially since Barca started the weekend at the top of La Liga with a superior goal difference over both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
However, Real Madrid pipped Barcelona to the top of the La Liga standings after the Blaugranas’s unexpected 3-1 defeat to Real Sociedad over the weekend. Unfortunately, Martino’s decision to rest his key players after the midweek Champions League victory meant that Sociedad were able to take advantage of Barca’s overall sloppiness. It’s a classic case of playing to the best of your ability (Sociedad) against a side that was probably feeling a little “meh“, which best describes the Barca style of the weekend.
Martino’s half-time send-off was as a result of his remarks at the Sociedad assistant manager. Referee Fernández Borbalán stated in his report:
“At the end of the first-half and in the tunnel to the changing room Barcelona manager Gerardo Daniel Martino was sent off for shouting at the Real Sociedad assistant manager, using the following words: ‘You’re an a**hole! You caused trouble the other day and you’re doing it today’. This sending off was communicated to me by my first assistant referee.”
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh-kJP7fqgk]
