Pique criticises Spanish FA over delayed decisions affecting Andorra players

Gerard Pique has criticised the Royal Spanish Football Federation after Andorra were left waiting for disciplinary decisions involving three players less than 24 hours before their Segunda Division meeting with Almeria.

The club’s largest shareholder said the lack of official notification had left Andorra unsure whether Jesus Ouno, Evi Ackerman and Lautaro de Leon would be available for the match, following incidents in the team’s game against Tenerife.

Pique addressed the issue in a video posted on his TikTok account while Andorra’s squad travelled to Almeria. According to Spanish newspaper Marca, he described his comments as constructive criticism intended to highlight the problems caused by delays in disciplinary proceedings.

He said Andorra had used the available channels to seek clarification, including contacting the president of the Spanish federation directly, but had not received a clear answer in time.

The former Barcelona defender added that the team had been preparing for Saturday’s fixture while Friday arrived without confirmation over whether the three players could play or would have to serve suspensions.

The uncertainty also affected Andorra’s tactical preparations. Pique warned that the coaching staff needed to know which players were available before selecting the starting XI and deciding on the team’s approach.

He pointed out that the manager could leave a player out as a precaution, only to discover later that no suspension had been imposed. In that situation, the punishment could be carried over to another game, creating further complications for the club.

With the fixture approaching, Andorra had limited time to prepare replacements and adjust to possible absences.

The club subsequently received confirmation that Ackerman and Lautaro would each miss one match. Ackerman was suspended after reaching five yellow cards, while Lautaro was sent off against Tenerife after receiving two cautions. Andorra had appealed against his second yellow card.

Ouno’s case remained unresolved after the disciplinary committee postponed its decision because of the exceptional circumstances surrounding it.

Pique’s criticism came as Andorra’s postponed match against Real Mallorca was given a new date. The game will take place on Wednesday, 9 December, at 21:00, after originally being postponed following the death of Jesus de Miguel.

The fixture will be played at the same time as Castellon’s match against Eibar and Granada’s meeting with Tenerife. The three postponed games were scheduled for the same date and kick-off time.

While the situations involving Ackerman and Lautaro have now been decided, Ouno is still awaiting a final ruling. Pique’s central complaint remains that disciplinary decisions should be announced early enough to give clubs a reasonable opportunity to prepare for their matches.