Pepe escapes action over alleged stamp
Reuters - Monday 23 January 2012, 19:41
The Spanish football federation will take no action against Real Madrid
defender Pepe for his alleged stamp on Barcelona forward Lionel
Messi's hand during the King's Cup quarter-final first leg.
The RFEF announced the decision after a meeting on Monday,
meaning the Portuguese international is free to play in this
Wednesday's return leg at the Nou Camp.
The 28-year-old Pepe, left out for Sunday's 4-1 La Liga
victory at home to Athletic Bilbao, denied intentionally
treading on Messi's hand while the World Player of the Year was
sitting on the floor although he was widely condemned in local
media.
The RFEF's decision came the same day England's FA charged
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli with violent conduct
following an incident in Sunday's Premier League match against
Tottenham Hotspur.
Italian Balotelli appeared to stamp on the head of Spurs
midfielder Scott Parker but the referee took no action.
The Pepe incident, caught from several different angles by
television cameras, was apparently missed by officials and the
referee did not mention it in his match report.