Cristiano Ronaldo banned for five matches for pushing a referee

Cristiano Ronaldo has been banned for five matches after pushing Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea during Real Madrid's 3-1 Spanish Super Cup first-leg win at Barcelona on Sunday.

 

On the first account, Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo will be suspended for one game after receiving two yellow cards, the first for taking off his jersey while celebrating his goal and the second for simulation. The club have also been fined €350 and the player €800, a statement released by the RFEF read.

On the second account, Cristiano Ronaldo has been banned for another four games for infraction of article 96 of the disciplinary code, with a €1400 fine for the club and a €3005 fine for the player, the statement adds.

 

The Real Madrid forward who was a 58 minute substitute at the Camp Nou and had just helped put his side 2-1 in front when he lost his cool and reacted angrily after being shown a red card.

Ronaldo gives the referee a push after his red card

The 32-year-old was booked after removing his shirt in celebration, before going on to mimic Lionel Messi’s iconic jersey-holding celebration at the Santiago Bernabeu in April.

A second booking followed for diving, under pressure from Samuel Umtiti, and Ronaldo did not take too kindly to the decision of match official Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea.

With the ban, Ronaldo will now be forced to sit out the return date of the Super Cup clash with Barca in Madrid on Wednesday and will also miss four La Liga fixtures against Deportivo La Coruna, Valencia, Levante and Real Sociedad. 

Madrid however, have 10 days to appeal the ruling.

Though the player is lucky to have avoided a worst-case scenario of a 12-match ban, and will now return until late September.