By DAN KARELL
Cristiano Ronaldo, who celebrates his 29th birthday today, learned some disappointing news on Wednesday morning.
The Real Madrid star learned on Wednesday that his red card against Athletic Bilbao was confirmed by the Spanish Football Federation’s Competition Committee, and that he’s been handed an additional two-match ban due to his actions as he left the field. Ronaldo was sent off last Sunday for hitting Bilbao midfielder Ander Iturraspe and then as Ronaldo walked off the field, he slapped his hand to his face, which the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) believed was dissent to the officials.
The committee’s decision means that though Ronaldo is available to play against Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey semifinals on Wednesday, he will miss the next three La Liga matches against Villarreal on Saturday, at Getafe on Feb. 16, and against Elche on Feb. 22.
Real Madrid are allowed to appeal the verdict. The red card was Ronaldo’s first received since January 2010. So far this season, Ronaldo has scored 22 goals in 21 La Liga matches, and 32 goals in all competitions.
Here are some more stories to start your Wednesday:
ROBBEN NEARING BAYERN EXTENSION
Bayern Munich are interested in keeping Arjen Robben with the club well into the future.
Though he’s been injury-prone over the last two seasons, Robben and Bayern are in discussions currently to extend his contract through 2017, according to a report in German publication SportBild. The report states that his salary will be around €8 million per season.
“We are talking (with Bayern), but there still needs to be at least another meeting,” Robben’s father Hans Robben told SportBild.
Robben returned to the field in late January after missing nearly two months with a knee injury and even scored a goal in Bayern’s 5-0 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt. This season, Robben has played 22 games in all competitions, scoring 14 goals.
FALCAO INCLUDED ON COLOMBIA’S 30-MAN PRE-WORLD CUP SQUAD
Colombia manager Jose Pekerman is banking on Radamel Falcao making a miraculous recovery from injury to play in the 2014 World Cup.
According to reports in South America, Pekerman has included Falcao on his 30-man pre-World Cup roster. Pekerman has until early June to whittle the squad down to the 23-man version that will compete in Brazil this summer.
Falcao suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on Jan. 22, though the doctor who operated on him gave the AS Monaco forward a 50 percent chance of being fit for the World Cup. Pekerman decided against scheduling a friendly match on March 5, the last FIFA date before the World Cup squads will be decided, because he reportedly doesn’t want to lose another player to injury.
QUICK KICKS
Just one week after returning from a two-month layoff, Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels is set for a two-week spell on the sidelines after injuring his foot in a friendly match on Tuesday. (REPORT)
Swansea City have sacked manager Michael Laudrup and promoted Garry Monk to interim head coach. (REPORT)
League One club Sheffield United shocked Fulham, 1-0 after extra time at Craven Cottage to advance in the FA Cup. (REPORT)
Argentine side Boca Juniors have acquired Sevilla midfielder Diego Perotti on loan for six months. (REPORT)
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What do you think of these reports? Do you agree with Ronaldo’s suspension? Think he should have had the red card rescinded? Do you see Robben remaining at Bayern until he retires?
Share your thoughts below.
“he slapped his hand to his face, which the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) believed was dissent to the officials.”
WHAT?! to me it seemed like he was angry with himself. you can’t hand out a 2-game additional suspension based on an ASSUMPTION of what him slapping his own face meant. that’s unreal. while i think it’s funny that Madrid is trying to appeal the red, they should ABSOLUTELY appeal the addition 2-game suspension.
Slapping your face is meant as insult in Spain. Other players have gotten the same suspension for the gesture before
I haven’t seen the video, but I guess “slapping his hand to his face” has some sort of nasty connotation in Spain, presumably way worse than the crowd of ayers that typically surround a referee after controversial cards.
not a Ronaldo fan or anything but if that is a multiple game suspension, how in the world is every red that isn’t a double yellow, not a multiple game suspension?
He got two games for the foul, an additional two for dissent.
He got more games for the tirade he threw afterward, which judging by on-the-field accounts was very, very naughty.
Yeah, I’m not a Rondaldo fan either. I definitely respect him as a player and generally think he’s a fair competitor – just think that Real Madrid is a bunch of fascists.
That said, no way was that a red card. He and the other player kind of got into it with each other but Ronaldo did not hit guy – he dove. A fairer call would have been to give both players a yellow.
i watched the game and this is a joke. he didn’t so anything “naughty” after the red.
I can’t wait till he gets sent off in Manaus.
That would be handy.
Well, Pekerman is sure trying to encourage Falcao to work hard at rehab. No one else has announced their 30-man roster yet as they aren’t due for a few months. I hope he can be healthy for the WC; it would be a shame for such a talent to miss the big event.
Falcao’s national team manager is banking on a miracle.
Encouraging news about Falcao, would love to see him at the big dance.