Barcelona lose appeal of Luis Suarez Copa del Rey 2-match ban

Suarez reportedly provoked a fracas in the Camp Nou tunnel after last week's 4-1 win over Espanyol in the last 16 first leg match, and was subsequently banned for two cup matches.

New Delhi: Defending champions Barcelona on Tuesday lose their appeal to over-turn Luis Suarez's Copa de Rey two-match ban.

The Uruguayan reportedly provoked a fracas in the Camp Nou tunnel after last week's 4-1 win over Espanyol in the last 16 first leg match, and was subsequently banned for two cup matches.

The Spanish Football Federation`s appeals committee rejected Barcelona claim that the former Liverpool player had not used the insulting words the referee wrote in his report.

In his match report from the Camp Nou, referee Juan Martinez Munuera said that Suarez had waited for Espanyol players in the tunnel after the match where he repeatedly shouted at them: "Here I am waiting for you, come here; you are a waste of space."

The appeals committee ruled that Barcelona did not have any "proof to the contrary" of the referee report. They also said that the fact that Suarez was waiting for his rivals in the dressing room tunnel showed "a certain level of premeditated planning."

The ill-tempered Catalan derby, which Barcelona won 4-1, witnessed two Espanyol players sent-off and 13 yellow cards including nine for the visiting team. Barcelona's three forwards -- Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez -- were also booked during the match.

Messi, who scored a brace before setting up Neymar's 88th minute goal, escaped injury with Espanyol goalkeeper Pau Lopez appeared to stamp deliberately on the Argentine's right foot in the 57th minute.

After failing with their appeal to Spain's football federation, Barcelona could still take it to the government's Disciplinary Committee for Sports.

As a result, Suarez is banned from playing in the return leg at Espanyol's Cornella-El Prat stadium on Wednesday and a likely quarterfinal first leg.