The Polish striker is facing a delayed disciplinary ban by La Liga.
Robert Lewandowski will miss Barcelona’s next three La Liga games, including a crucial game against Atletico Madrid.
Lewandowski was handed a three-game ban after receiving two first-half red cards in Barca’s match against Osasuna on November 8.
However, La Liga decided to put the punishment on hold, which triggered a furious response from Espanyol, who played against Barcelona on Saturday.
According to Marca, Barca’s appeal has now been reviewed by the Spanish administrative tribunal of sport (TAD). The committee has decided to uphold the 34-year-old’s three-match ban.
Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s mid-week game against Intercity in the Copa del Rey, Xavi hoped to have Lewandowski at his disposal for the Atletico match.
“He has a lot of minutes under his belt,” Xavi said.
“It’s a good match for him to rest. We have some very important matches coming up. Not just tomorrow, and we want him to be there. We think he’ll be able to play [against Atletico] so we rest him.”
Lewandowski has scored 13 goals in his 15 La Liga appearances so far this season. His performances have been vital to Barca’s title push as they sit above Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table. In addition to the Atletico Madrid clash, the striker will also miss Barca’s league matches against Girona and Getafe.
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