FC Barcelona’s general manager, Joan Oliver, announced today to reporters that the club will appeal the red card issue to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Guardiola’s dismissal from Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Almeria.  Oliver also stressed that the appeals were routine club procedures. The club is arguing that the referee, Clos Gomez’s report stated that club manager Josep Guardiola was sent off for leaving the technical area and getting into the linesman’s face while shouting with his arms raised, "Pitas todo al revés, no te enteras de nada," (You decide everything the wrong way around. You just don't get it, do you?) *while the game action had stopped. Replays however show that was not the case and the club believes they have a valid argument to overturn that decision.

As for Ibrahimovic’s red card, the report also stated that Ibrahimovic had kicked an opponent inside the penalty box, while the ball was in play even although Ibrahimovic was not involved in the play of the ball. The player who was kicked, Cisma, received treatment and was able to carry on playing. Replays showed that the contact was incidental and not intentional and to many, it seems that the decision to give Ibrahimovic a red card was harsh and unjust. Replays showed that Ibrahimovic never kicked the player and the only contact shown was his elbow contacting Cisma’s shoulder who then went to the ground and grabbed his face and then limped off the field to receive treatment.

If Barcelona’s appeals are denied, then their weekend home clash against Valencia will be without Guardiola and Ibrahimovic.