Gerard Piqué fined €12,000 for aggressive confrontation with assistant referee
Former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué has been fined €12,000 by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for an aggressive confrontation with an assistant referee. The incident occurred on April 1 as Piqué, now the owner of Spanish second-division side FC Andorra, approached the official in the tunnel at halftime of his club's 3-3 draw with Málaga.
According to the match referee's report, Piqué acted in an aggressive manner, shouting and pointing his finger inches from the assistant's face while repeatedly stating, "This is a historic robbery" and "I'm going to post this on Twitter." The RFEF's competition committee ratified the fine this Tuesday following a review of the report.
This is not the first disciplinary issue for Piqué this season in his role as club owner. He has previously received two separate fines of €9,000 for similar oversteps earlier in the campaign, having avoided punishment for a first incident in September. The pattern of behavior raises the possibility of more severe sanctions for FC Andorra itself if the confrontations continue.
The latest fine adds to a long history of Piqué's contentious relationships with match officials. His final professional match as a player for Barcelona in November 2022 ended with a red card for dissent. His transition to club ownership has been marked by similar outbursts, including previous complaints about the state of the pitch at Andorra's stadium.
Piqué purchased FC Andorra in 2018 and has overseen the club's rise from the Spanish fifth tier to the second division. His high-profile ownership and hands-on approach have brought significant attention to the small Pyrenean club. However, his conduct has repeatedly drawn scrutiny from the league's governing bodies.
The RFEF's ruling serves as a formal warning that Piqué's status as a former star and high-profile owner does not exempt him from the standards of conduct required in the technical area. For FC Andorra, currently competing in a tight Segunda División promotion race, the off-pitch distractions come at a critical point in the season. The club must now balance its sporting ambitions with the need for its owner to maintain decorum to avoid further punitive measures that could impact the team directly.
