Ronaldo says his ban for pushing referee is ‘persecution’
MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo has bitterly criticized his five-game suspension for pushing a referee who had sent him off, describing the ban as “persecution.”
Ronaldo wrote on his Instagram account on Wednesday that “it is impossible to remain silent in this situation, 5 games!! It seems exaggerated and ridiculous to me, this is called persecution!”
Ronaldo’s outburst came after the Spanish soccer federation ratified his suspension, which was announced on Monday.
The Real Madrid forward will miss the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona later on Wednesday. Madrid holds a 3-1 advantage.