Lionel Messi's yellow card for timewasting late in Sunday's 1-0 La Liga win at Valencia has been upheld, despite TV images showing he had been hit on the head by an object thrown from the crowd.
Messi was involved in celebrations near the corner flag after Sergio Busquets scored an injury-time winner, and referee David Fernandez Borbalan showed him a yellow card after deciding that he had wasted time.
The official later wrote in his match report that the Argentina captain had "delayed his return to the field of play after the scoring of the goal with the aim of wasting time."
The report also said that "after the scoring of the goal, a number of small water bottles [without caps] were thrown from the crowd, falling close to where the Barcelona players were celebrating. One of these hit the head of Messi, who was able to continue the game."
Closer viewing of TV images suggested a coin, not a bottle, had hit Messi, and Barcelona opted to appeal against the booking, his second of the season.
La Liga's competition committee upheld the referee's decision, but the club could ask the committee to take another look at the ruling.
Real Madrid's Isco is a similar position, with his club having appealed against the second of the two yellow cards which saw him sent off in Saturday's 2-1 win at Malaga. That booking has also been upheld, but Madrid could also take the case further.