Few days after Cristiano Ronaldo got a five-match ban for manhandling a referee, he has accused the Spanish FA of “persecution” and termed the punishment “exaggerated and ridiculous”. The forward pushed official Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in the back after he received a second yellow card for simulation in Real Madrid’s 3-1 first-leg Super Copa victory over Barcelona on Sunday. Although the four match suspension he received for the shove and an extra for the red card was deemed lenient, there has been a furious reaction in Madrid.
“It’s impossible to stay quiet in this situation, five matches!” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram on Wednesday night. “To me it seems exaggerated and ridiculous, this is what you call persecution! Thanks to my team-mates and to the fans for the support.” Real Madrid had appealed the sanction explaining that Ronaldo’s fall while under pressure from Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti was “instinctive, reflexive, uncontrollable” but the appeals committee have disagreed.
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