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Barca’s Leon banned after ‘unacceptable’ Espanyol incident

Barcelona women’s defender Mapi Leon was hit with a two-match ban for unsporting conduct after appearing to grab an Espanyol player’s crotch in February.

The centre-back missed Barca’s 6-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday in Liga F and is also poised to sit out the leaders’ game against Sevilla on Wednesday.

Barcelona have taken their case against the decision to the Spanish sports court (TAD), said coach Pere Romeu.

“We received a ban for Mapi, we appealed it and it was denied,” he told TV3 on Sunday.

“We took it to TAD and for now we have not received a reply, so the player is suspended for us.”

Leon was accused by Espanyol of “violating the privacy” of defender Daniela Caracas during a league match in February, with the club describing the incident as “unacceptable”.

Video clips on social media appeared to show the 29-year-old defender grabbing Caracas’ crotch and asking her opponent — according to a Spanish media transcriptions of the exchange — if she has a penis.

Leon denied the allegations, saying in a statement released by Barcelona that “there was no invasion of an intimate area, let alone any intention to do so”.

Barcelona have a four-point lead in Liga F and face Chelsea in the women’s Champions League semi-finals next Sunday.

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