Ronaldo facing heavy ban after pushing referee
Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) gestures after receiving his second yellow card by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea (2R) during the first leg of the Spanish Supercup football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on August 13, 2017.
Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo faces a heavy sanction following his sending off in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup in Barcelona.
Ronaldo lasted just 24 minutes on the pitch during which he scored Madrid's second goal in a 3-1 win and was shown two yellow cards by referee Ricard De Burgos Bengoetxea; the first for taking his shirt off in the goal celebration and the second for what the referee considered to be a dive as he tussled with Barca defender Samuel Umtiti in the 82nd minute.
The two yellow cards would have earned Ronaldo a one-match ban, but the Portuguese international reacted to the second card by pushing De Burgos Bengoetxea in the back and the referee reported that action in his match report, writing "Once he has been shown the red cards, Cristiano Ronaldo pushed me lightly as a sign of disconformity."
Article 96 of the Spanish rules says very clearly that "pulling, pushing or jostling or similar attitudes towards the referee, even if they without aggression towards the referee, will be sanctioned by between four and 12 games."
That means Ronaldo is likely to miss Wednesday's return leg of the Supercup in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, as well as the first three matches of the Liga Santander season which kicks off this coming weekend.
