Robert Lewandowski available to play for Barcelona against Espanyol

Robert Lewandowski is available to play for Barcelona in the derby against Espanyol on Saturday. Barcelona released a statement on Friday to confirm the news through their official media channels stating that the striker “will be able to play against Espanyol tomorrow after the Madrid Court of Appeal granted a precautionary measure to the sanction imposed by the court of arbitration for sport”.

The veteran striker will therefore be one of the 23 players included in manager Xavi’s squad for the derby. It remains to be seen whether this precautionary measure also affects the other two matches that he would theoretically have to serve in LaLiga against Madrid-based clubs Atlético Madrid and Getafe.

The Lewandowski soap opera has been dragging on with uncertainty as to whether or not he could end up playing. Since Gil Manzano sent him off for a double yellow card in the match against Osasuna, Barcelona’s legal department got to work.

To begin with, the club appealed against the referee’s report in which he highlighted “inconsiderate gestures” when he left the pitch. This appeal was rejected by the Appeal Committee, which upheld the three-match ban. The matter then went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which did not grant the precautionary measure and ratified the ruling. It was later placed in the hands of the Madrid Court of Litigation, which has accepted the precautionary measure.

So the Poland international could end up playing at Camp Nou on Saturday as he has been included in the matchday squad.