GERARD PIQUE has been accused deliberately getting booked to avoid the risk of being suspended for El Clasico.
The defensive powerhouse, 32, picked up his fifth yellow for the season for booting the ball away late in a 4-0 rout of Sevilla.
He will now miss Barca's clash with Eibar after the international break but will be able to face Real Madrid at the Camp Nou on October 26.
And Spanish outlet Marca is reporting that Pique intentionally gave ref Miguel Antonio Mateu Lahoz no choice but to book him last night.
Last February, Los Blancos skipper Sergio Ramos was handed a two-match ban by Uefa for "for clearly receiving a yellow card on purpose" in a last-16 showdown with Ajax.
Ramos fouled Kasper Dolberg in the 89th minute of the first leg, with his side 2-1 ahead.
He later admitted: "I would be lying if I said I didn't force [the booking]".
Although Ramos tried to clarify his comments, adding: "I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to forcing the booking.
"It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well."
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Real were shocked at the Bernabeu in Ramos' absence as Ajax went on to lose to Tottenham in a dramatic semi-final.
Yellow cards are wiped out at the end of the quarter-final stage of the Champions League.
There has been no indication that Pique faces a similar sanction over the accusation.
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