Possible Mascherano ban, problem for Barca

FC Barcelona midfielder, Javier Mascherano faces the prospect of a four-match ban after being sent off towards the end of Sunday night' s 3-1 win at home to Eibar on Sunday night.

Mascherano was sent off by Madrid based referee De Cerro Grande for apparently insulting his linesman in graphic terms, using an Argentinean term 'La concha de tu madre' after his failure to give a foul in Barca' s favor.

Although graphically strong words when translated directly, that can be taken to mean something like "son of a bitch," and similar to the words which saw Gerard Pique sent off and punished with a four-game ban during the return leg of the Spanish Supercup this season.

Speaking after the game, which Barca won thanks to a hat-trick from Luis Suarez, Barca coach, Luis Enrique defended Mascherano, who is one of his key players, arguing that when he had sworn, "he wasn' t talking about the referee or the linesman," and asked the official to be more flexible in their interpretation of the rules.

If the Spanish FA follow the precedent set by Pique' s sanction, Mascherano will miss the next four league games, something the coach described as "quite serious" , especially as that would include the first 'clasico' of the season, which sees Barca visit traditional rivals, Real Madrid.

The incident has done nothing to ease worries in the Camp Nou that there is a conspiracy against the club, worries which became stronger last week when it was revealed that a Primera Liga linesman had placed a complaint with anti-corruption in Spain alleging he had been told to favor Real Madrid is he was chosen to officiate in the clasico.

The fact Sunday' s referee is from the capital has also caused concern, although in Del Cerro Grande' s defense, he also made a major error in Barca' s favor, with their equalizing goal against Eibar scored from an offside position. Endi