Barcelona will host Leganes trying to get back to winning ways in La Liga, but they'll have to do it without manager, Hansi Flick, on the sidelines.
The German manager will serve the first of a two match suspension in La Liga following the red card he saw a week ago in Barcelona's 2–2 draw vs Real Betis. Flick was beside himself when Betis were awarded a penalty in the 66th minute, livid at the referee who sent him off as a consequence.
Missing a game against 17th place Leganes might not seem like the end of the world; however, Flick will also be absent from the crucial Dec. 21 clash against Atlético Madrid. Diego Simeone's men sit third in the table, three points back of Barcelona with a game in hand and in the midst of a 10 game winning streak in all competitions that goes back to October.
With this two game ban, Flick won't be seen on the touchline in a league game until Jan. 19, given Barcelona will start the new year with a Copa del Rey clash followed by a trip to Saudi Arabia to compete in the Spanish Super Cup.
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Flick's assistant, Marcus Sorg, will manage from the touchline in his absence. Sorg worked in the German national team as an assistant for World Cup winning manager, Joachim Löw, and stayed in that role once Flick took over. Following Flick's short tenure on the national team, Sorg joined his staff and followed him to Barcelona. Sorg also managed Germany's U-19 team and led them to a European championship in 2014.
The German manager's suspension comes at a difficult time for Barcelona, who've won just once in La Liga in their last five games, seeing their commanding lead atop the standings shrink to the point where Real Madrid could overtake them at the top if they win their game in hand.
Barcelona can't afford to let Flick's absence affect them. Leganes at home should be a winnable matchup and it would ensure the Catalans remain atop the standings come the final game Flick will be suspended for in Barcelona's last match of 2024.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Hansi Flick Isn't Managing Barcelona vs. Leganes in La Liga.
