Ronaldo: Two-match ban excessive
Reuters - Wednesday 27 January 2010, 12:51
MADRID - Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo
thinks his two-match suspension for Sunday's red card against
Malaga is excessive and is confident the La Liga club's appeal
will succeed.
Ronaldo scored both goals in the 2-0 win at the Bernabeu but
was shown a straight red card in the 70th minute after catching
defender Patrick Mtiliga with a flailing arm and breaking his
nose.
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday the
Portugal forward had been suspended and fined 600 euros.
If Real's attempts to get the ban reversed, reduced or
postponed are unsuccessful he will miss Saturday's trip to
Deportivo Coruna and the home game against Espanyol the
following weekend.
"I wasn't impressed (about the suspension), of course,"
Ronaldo was quoted as saying by As newspaper on Wednesday.
"I sincerely believe the punishment is excessive," he added.
"I am confident in the appeal the club is going to lodge and
that the punishment will be reduced."
The RFEF's disciplinary committee decided Ronaldo's actions
were not wilful or reckless, which would have meant a longer
suspension, but that he had been guilty of dangerous play.
SECOND DISMISSAL
It was his second dismissal of the season following his
sending-off against Almeria in December for kicking out at an
opponent after he had earlier been booked for taking off his
shirt in a goal celebration.
Javier Lopez Farre, Real's legal director, told Cadena Ser
radio if the appeal to the RFEF was unsuccessful they would take
the case to Spain's Sporting Disciplinary Committee (CEDD), a
body overseen by the government sports council (CSD).
"Of course, we would then ask for a postponement (of the
ban)," he said. "If the player completes the suspension then it
won't help us at all if (the CEDD) rules in our favour."
Real presented evidence to the RFEF disciplinary committee
which included video of an incident earlier this month involving
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi trying to shake off a Sevilla
opponent who was holding him back.
Messi was awarded a free-kick and Real claimed the incident
supported their case for Ronaldo's card to be reversed.
The committee ruled, however, that as the referee had not
mentioned the Messi incident in his match report it was not
relevant and, in any case, no injury had been caused.