Barcelona is reportedly considering an appeal to the appeals committee, arguing that the lifting of Bellingham’s suspension negatively impacts competitive balance.

The English star of Real Madrid was sent off in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona, but after reviewing the referee’s report and match footage, the suspension was overturned.

Bellingham’s red card, issued for protesting aggressively against the referee after the final whistle, was annulled by the disciplinary committee, which deemed his behavior non-threatening. However, Barcelona’s legal team believes the decision may be competitively biased, as it directly affects them.

Since Bellingham’s dismissal occurred against Barcelona and the overturned suspension allows him to play in the upcoming La Liga Clásico, this issue has taken on a competitive dimension beyond disciplinary matters. The direct link between the incident, the decision, and Barcelona as the opponent could grant the club legal grounds to intervene or demand a more thorough review.

The presence or absence of a key player like Bellingham could decisively influence the outcome of a high-stakes match in the title race. Barcelona may feel the rules were interpreted in a way that indirectly favored their arch-rivals. Thus, the club could push for disciplinary decisions to be based on transparent, fair criteria fully aligned with the referee’s report to preserve competitive integrity.