Spanish referees to complain against Barca’s Pique

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique faces a potential sanction after he accused a referee of giving him a "premeditated" red card at the weekend.

The head of the Refereeing Technical Committee said it would lodge a complaint against Pique's comments with the Spanish football association's competition committee.

"Pique's statements are unfortunate and serious," Refereeing Technical Committee president Sanchez Arminio told Spanish public radio RNE late Sunday.

"I understand that your blood can boil but sportsmen have to have respect for each other. It affects the refereeing body and obviously we will lodge a complaint."

Pique was sent off in the 47th minute after wrestling Miguel De Las Cuevas for the ball on the edge of the area in Barcelona's 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijon on Saturday.

After the game, Pique said he had told referee Carlos Velasco Carballo in the half-time break that Barcelona should have been given a penalty for a push against Mali international Seydou Keita.

"In the break I told the referee it was a penalty on Keita and he remembered it. I have the feeling that there was premeditation," the 25-year-old defender charged.

Despite the win, Barcelona remain 10 points behind league leaders Real Madrid who crushed Espanyol 5-0 on Sunday. Barca coach Pep Guardiola has admitted they have "very little chance of catching Madrid".