Barcelona star Gerard Pique to miss La Liga crucial clash at Valencia after ban appeal is rejected

Barcelona star Gerard Pique is set to miss the crucial La Liga trip to second-placed Valencia on Sunday (26 November) after an appeal against his yellow card in the weekend victory over Leganes was rejected by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

However, the La Liga leaders have successfully won their challenge against the yellow card given to Luis Suarez during the same encounter.

Pique was booked in the first half of the 3-0 win at Leganes for a slight pull on Watford loanee Nordin Amrabat.

Meanwhile, the former Liverpool striker was also shown a yellow card in the 52nd minute of the encounter at the Estadio Municipal Butarque with referee Undiano Mallenco understanding that the forward impeded Leganes goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar.

The booking for Pique was his fifth of the season and automatically ruled him out of the crucial clash at Valencia, though Suarez's was only his third of the campaign.

On Sunday, Barcelona appealed against both cards in the hope manager Ernesto Valverde could have Pique available for the visit to Mestalla.

"FC Barcelona informs that it has decided to appeal to the competition committee for the yellow cards shown to Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez during the course of Leganes-FC Barcelona," Barcelona confirmed in a statement released via their official website.

But Pique will miss Sunday's [26 November] clash at Valencia after the Spanish football federation committee officially confirmed that they have only revoked the card given to Suarez.

The decision is a major blow for Valverde with Javier Mascherano also unavailable to partner Samuel Umtiti in the heart of the back-line due to injury.

The Argentina international returned from the recent international break with a hamstring issue and is not expected to be back until next month.

Thomas Vermaelen is likely to fill Pique's place in the defence to face Valencia even though the Belgium international has not played a La Liga game since returning in the summer from an unsuccessful loan spell at AS Roma.

The game could be crucial in the battle for the La Liga title with unbeaten Barcelona currently top, four points ahead of Valencia and 10 clear of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.