Is it sometimes better to just let things be? Maybe not.
In the case of Espanyol, they are clearly not happy to let sleeping dogs lie. The Blanquiazules might have managed to secure a one-all draw against bitter rivals Barcelona in their final game of 2022, but Diego Martinez's side are still feeling aggrieved about the result.
That's because Robert Lewandowski, who was initially expected to miss the game after incurring a three game ban, was suddenly cleared to play in the Catalan Derby just 24 hours before kick-off. The 34-year-old Polish striker did not get on the score-sheet for the Blaugrana, but the fact that he was allowed to be involved in the game angered Espanyol, who filed a complaint trying to block his participation.
And despite securing a draw, Espanyol are still not satisfied, even going so far to publish a statement on their website and file yet another complaint with the RFEF (Spanish Football Association).
The statement reads as follows:
"Before the start of the match, the club notified in good faith both the referee of the match, Mr. Mateu Lahoz, and the RFEF itself about the presence in the rival eleven of footballer Robert Lewandowski, who had to serve a sanction after being sent off for a double yellow in the previous day of the national championship.
"RCD Espanyol, as announced on the eve of the match, will use all the resources at its disposal to defend its interests and that of our fans, aware that this flagrant injustice puts the essence of our competition at risk and that this injustice is based on a hasty resolution and with obvious legal deficiencies."
It remains to be seen if Lewandowski's ban will be re-applied, meaning that the former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich striker could miss out on some of Barcelona's early matches of 2023 should the RFEF decide in Espanyol's favor. That does seem rather unlikely, as he already saw his ban put on freeze to allow him to feature in Barcelona's game against Espanyol on December 31st.
