Robert Lewandowski free to play for Barcelona – for now – against Espanyol after striker’s suspension lifted

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski is free to play for the Spanish side against Espanyol on Saturday after his three-match ban was lifted.

However, the suspension has only temporarily been removed by a court in Spain and could yet be reinstated before the match goes ahead.

On Friday a court of disputes in Madrid said that the 34-year-old Poland international striker could continue to be picked by his club until the Spanish administrative court for sport made its final decision on Barcelona’s appeal against the suspension.

Barca coach Xavi Hernandez was happy with the development but stated that it was late notice for him to take into account for his preparations for Saturday’s game against Barcelona’s local rivals.

“Being able to have him is great news,” Xavi said. “But knowing it a day before the game when you have been training to prepare to play without him is not the best timing for us.”

If the administrative court of sport rules against the appeal, the suspension will be put back in place, but as things stand he could be picked by Xavi.

Lewandowksi attended the World Cup with his national team and the game against Espanyol is the club’s first match in seven weeks following the break for the tournament in Qatar.

He was given a one-match ban when he was shown a red card on November 8 during Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Osasuna. Two more games were added to the suspension by the Spanish football federation’s competition committee as a result of what they believed to be Lewandowski’s “show of disrespect” to the referee, Gil Manzano.

Manzano wrote in his post-match report that Lewandowski had gestured to his nose and pointed his thumb at the referee.

Barcelona had appealed to the administrative court against the ban, and then against the failure to lift the ban to the court of disputes.

Lewandowski joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in the summer for around £40 million, and has 18 goals in 19 appearances so far. He was part of an extensive rebuild at the Camp Nou, with Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Pablo Torre, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen and Hector Bellerin also arriving.

Barcelona are two points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga with both sides having played 14 league games, but were knocked out in the group stages of the Champions League.