Footballers get carded for a number of reasons concerning on-field conduct including, but not limited to, dangerous conduct on the field (i.e. attempting to injure an opponent), using racial slurs, and celebrating a goal in a fashion that is deemed by Law 12 to be excessive. These kinds of activities can result in either a yellow card or a straight red card and automatic ejection for more egregious violations of the rules. A player can also receive a second yellow card that leads to a red card and his ejection from the match. By the laws of the game a player receiving a red for either getting a second yellow or a straight red is suspended for at least one match with additional penalties depending heavily on the infraction.
This brings us to the opening match of the Supercopa de España between legendary rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid and the case of reigning World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.
Since it is a Supercopa the number of substitutes that can be used is more than in a regular match because teams do not take them as seriously which meant Ronaldo came on as a substitute for Real. He promptly broke a 1-1 tie with his usual spectacular scoring touch and received a yellow card for removing his shirt in celebration. A mere two minutes later Ronaldo was booked for a second yellow for what the referee judged to be a dive while Ronaldo tangled with Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti. This enraged the Portuguese attacker to the point where he lightly shoved referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in the back as he walked off the pitch. While it may not have hurt the referee, players aren’t supposed to touch referees regardless of the correctness of their officiating.
This shove meant that Ronaldo’s mandatory one game ban was lengthened to five by the Spanish FA. He has 10 days to appeal, which Real has said they will due to the iffy nature of the second yellow he received. The loss of Ronaldo for five early fixtures, including the second game of the Supercopa, may not doom the chances of Los Blancos repeating as La Liga champions but it could potentially mean their hated rivals nip them in the Supercopa, to the irritation of Real supporters everywhere.
Even if the second yellow is rescinded, Ronaldo should still face some kind of penalty for shoving the referee, regardless of the fact he is arguably the best player in the world.