Ronaldo’s 24 minutes as a substitute at the Camp Nou saw him score a superb goal, pick up a booking for removing his shirt during the celebration, and then quickly receive a second yellow after De Burgos Bengoetxea ruled the Portugal captain had dived to try and win a penalty.
That was just one major talking point on a night which also saw Gerard Pique’s own goal put Madrid ahead, Lionel Messi equalise with a controversial penalty won by Luis Suarez, and Marco Asensio score a screamer to put his side fully in control ahead of Wednesday’s second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Ronaldo is likely to face extra punishment as he pushed De Burgos Bengoetxea during an angry reaction to his second yellow card, with ex-Las Palmas striker Marko Livaja getting a five-game suspension after a similar incident last season.
The official match report sent to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) from the Camp Nou included Ronaldo’s push in the “other incidents” section.
“Cristiano Ronaldo Dos Santos Aveiro — having been shown the red card, the player pushed me slightly in a sign of his disagreement,” the Basque official wrote.
The RFEF’s disciplinary code appears clear that the punishment for such behaviour, even if only “slightly violent,” is an extra suspension of four to 12 games.
“Pulling, pushing or shaking, or a general attitude towards the match officials which, even if only slightly violent, without confirming an aggressive attitude on their part, will be punished with a suspension of four to 12 games,” says the code’s article 96.
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