5-game ban seems exaggerated and ridiculous, this is called persecution: Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo accused the Spanish football federation (RFEF) of persecution after his appeal against a five-game ban for pushing a referee was dismissed on Wednesday. The striker shoved referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea after being sent off during Madrid's 3-1 win over Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

Madrid appealed but that was rejected a few hours before the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, meaning Ronaldo missed the match as well as his team's first four La Liga fixtures.

"It's impossible not to react to this situation, 5 games! It seems to me exaggerated and ridiculous, this is called persecution!" Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram post.

Here's his post:

 

Impossível ficar imune a esta situação, 5 jogos!! Parece-me exagerado e ridículo, isto chama-se perseguição! Obrigado aos meus companheiros pelo apoio e aos adeptos!!!

A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Aug 16, 2017 at 9:19am PDT

The RFEF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Madrid could still take the case to the Spanish government's sports court to try to reduce the ban.

(Inputs from Reuters)