Commentary
Ronaldo five-game ban overshadows strong Real Madrid performance
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Aug 14, 2017
However harsh the decision might have been, the Real Madrid star made things worse by pushing the referee and must sit out five games.
Pending an appeal, Ronaldo will miss Wednesday's second leg of the Supercopa against Barcelona and La Liga games against Deportivo Coruna, Valencia, Levante and Real Sociedad.
The four La Liga games were tacked on to the one-game suspension for Ronaldo's 10th red card of his career.
The Portuguese star will be eligible to play in the UEFA Champions League but won't be back in action for Real Madrid in domestic play until Sept. 20.
The red card and suspension overshadowed what was another big win for Real Madrid after it struggled on its U.S. tour, going winless after 90 minutes in four games.
Real Madrid beat Manchester United, 2-1, to win the UEFA Super Cup and defeated Barca, 3-1, on Sunday.
Ronaldo's first yellow was for taking off his shirt to celebrate his goal to make it 2-1. Another sub, 21-year-old Marco Asensio, capped a big second half for Madrid with a thunderbolt from outside the area in the 90th minute.
"Asensio doesn't surprise me," said Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane. "What he does is phenomenal. He's fast and strikes the ball very well."
Asensio was just one of several players Zidane singled out.
"We're happy with him and with everyone," said Zidane, who had his contract extended after Real Madrid returned home from its tour. "It's not easy to come on like that for 15 minutes. He came on and was quickly in to the match and made the difference. Isco, [Mateo] Kovacic and everyone else had a great game."
12 comments about "Ronaldo five-game ban overshadows strong Real Madrid performance".
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No matter how wrong, or right a referee may be in regard to a call, making physical contact with him is NEVER a good idea. Ronaldo should have had better sense than that.
Finally a referee who the guts to punish El Divo. Next there needs to be a season ending injury. Bye bye Ronaldo. Go back to the EPL. Better yet come to the MLS for the twilight of your career.
Ronaldo should be punished for making contact physical contact with the referee and the Ref should be suspended for losing control of the game. Suarez dove and got away with a penalty but Ronaldo got fouled and received a Red Card.
The Defender had his hand on Ronaldo's shoulder and pulling him.
Ronaldo made mistakes that are not wise at his level: taking his shirt off and pushing the Ref.
UNACCEPTABLE!
Problem is El Divo didn't dive. He tripped up on his own during his attack. Shouldn't have received the yellow. He also shouldn't have touched the ref. You don't touch them as they don't touch you....ever. The best El Divo is at PSG now...
To me the final yellow is a borderline penalty or no call - ref may see it as two players running side by side with incidental contact, but no way a dive - how can you even be sure ronaldo could keep his feet if he wanted to? The refs have this so wrong - no call should be the default unless dive is crystal clear! (Yes Paul Gardner is right).
All that being said, Ronaldo's egotism of intentionally taking a yellow earlier to show off his abs comes back to haunt him with some poetic justice.
looked like a pat on the back
Pat on the back? The gesture incidental to the "POTB" was quite obvious. RC7 has one thing on his mind, CR7. Great footballer tainted with narcissism.
Whether he dove or not, he wanted the call. The inmates are running the asylum anyway.
Terrible call on the ref. Stupid move on Ronaldo. Ronaldo deserve the 4 games... The ref deserves to be gone as well.
need him to call the next Bayern-Real Champions match.....
Barcelona's style of total attacking caught them (9) players in two counterattacks that resulted in top quality finishes. RM's patience and limiting Messi's penetrating runs were the key to victory.
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