Pique escapes UEFA action after controversial booking

Gerard Pique will not face disciplinary action after his controversial booking late in Barcelona’s 2-0 Champions League win over Arsenal.

Pique was cautioned for an uncharacteristically rash challenge on Danny Welbeck five minutes from time at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, shortly after Lionel Messi’s penalty had put Barca 2-0 up in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

The Spain defender spoke with coach Luis Enrique in the aftermath of Messi’s second goal of the game, leading to suspicions that he had purposefully picked up a caution to rule himself out of the second leg and give himself a clean disciplinary slate for Barca’s probable quarter-final.

Luis Enrique dismissed that suggestion in his post-match media conference, although UEFA is able to impose a two-match ban on any player found to have got booked intentionally.

However, when contacted by Omnisport on Wednesday, UEFA confirmed Pique will not be sanctioned, meaning he is only ruled out of the second leg against Arsenal on March 16.