Real Madrid defender Pepe will be gone for the remainder of the season as well as the first four matches of next season after the Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplne Board handed down the sentence on Friday afternoon.
Real Madrid defender Pepe gets ten-match ban (AP Photo)
In the 87th minute of that match, Pepe knocked down Casquero inside the box as he approached Iker Casillas’ goal. After knocking him down, he kicked the Getafe player twice when he was on the ground and then argued with the referees after the ensuing penalty kick and eventual sending off. According to the report submitted by referee Delgado Ferreiro, he mentioned that the Portuguese international said as he walked off the pitch, "…you are a motherfucker". The Casquero antics… well that’s for another piece. In addition to the hefty charges on the player’s plate, he also ran back onto the pitch to celebrate Gonzalo Higuaín’s game-winner in injury time.
Not even Rui Costa’s "justification" of Pepe’s actions against Ángel Casquero in Tuesdays win against Getafe helped to stiffen the sentence. The former Milan, Fiorentina, and Portugal star talked about the issue when speaking in front of a group of youngsters at and academy in the Municipality of Brandoa. A student asked him about Pepe’s "irrational attitude" and the current Benfica sporting director said that is was a mistake. "To say that you don’t make mistakes when you earn so much money is stupidity. Money doesn’t hide feelings."