The Tunnel Incident and Official Match Report

According to the official match report filed by referee Alonso De Ena Wolf, the altercation unfolded across the interval and at the conclusion of the match. The referee documented that Gerard Piqué had already confronted him during the halftime break regarding several officiating decisions. Once the fixture ended, the situation escalated when Piqué approached the referee “at the top of his voice” and in a “threatening attitude,” trailing the official through the stadium tunnel to the entrance of the referee’s dressing room at close quarters.

The match report captured Piqué’s exact words to the official prior to entry: “Now, if you want, put it in the match report!” Officials noted that the former footballer continued his protests and objections regarding the referee’s performance throughout the stadium corridor. Disciplinary bodies categorized this behavior as low-level violence, dismissing arguments centered on freedom of expression or the requirement of physical contact.

De Facto Status and Additional Club Penalties

Despite not holding a formal executive title at FC Andorra—with his majority ownership channeled through Kosmos—the tribunal classified Piqué as a de facto director. This classification stemmed from his regular accreditation as technical staff, connections to the club board, involvement in sporting decisions, and his active defense of club interests during the confrontations, subjecting him directly to RFEF regulations.

Alongside the penalties levied against Piqué, the TAD ruling addressed punishments for other club personnel involved in the May 1 incident. Sporting director Jaume Nogués received a six-match suspension and a two-month ban for shouting verbal insults at officials in the tunnel and making subsequent comments in the parking area. Club delegate Cristian Lanzarote was handed a three-match ban for labeling an assistant referee “the worst in the category,” alongside a two-month suspension for exacerbating tensions.

FC Andorra was handed a 1,500-euro fine alongside an order to close its presidential box and nearby VIP zones for two matches. The club attempted to defend the access by citing a self-issued “free access” pass held by Piqué, but the tribunal maintained that such passes could not bypass regulatory boundaries in restricted stadium areas.

Presidential Sanction Annulled on Appeal

While upholding the primary disciplinary actions against Piqué, Nogués, and Lanzarote, the tribunal completely overturned the four-month suspension and associated fine originally issued to club president Ferran Vilaseca. The panel determined that an alleged confrontation involving an attempted push to the chest and a raised fist directed at the match delegate—which had been intercepted by stadium security—did not cross the legal threshold required to sustain a formal sanction.

Administrative avenues regarding the penalties are now closed following the TAD decision, leaving a two-month window open for potential ordinary judicial action. Records indicate that all active suspensions tied to the May 1 fixture had already been served by the time the tribunal issued its final determination.