Zidane: Real are annoyed about ‘excessive’ Ronaldo ban

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane expressed his anger on Tuesday at a five-game ban handed to Cristiano Ronaldo for pushing a referee after being sent off against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup.

“We are very annoyed,” said Zidane. 

“When you look at everything that happened, to think Cristiano won’t play five games with us... it is infuriating.”

Madrid’s appeal against the red card, which could reduce the ban from five games to four, will be held before the game on Wednesday.

“The (appeals) committee will meet and I hope they look well upon it,” added Zidane.

“Cristiano is annoyed because he wants to play and when he doesn’t play, he isn’t happy."

“Cristiano’s ban is excessive,” added Madrid defender Dani Carvajal.

“It is a frustrating feeling for him. Hopefully the committee will reduce it by a few games.”

Should Ronaldo’s appeal not be upheld, he will miss Madrid’s first four La Liga games of the season against Deportivo la Coruna, Valencia, Levante and Real Sociedad.

However, Zidane insisted he is not desperate to add to his forward line before the transfer window closes on August 31, despite selling strikers Alvaro Morata and Mariano Diaz this summer.

Real have been linked for months with a move for Monaco’s 18-year-old sensation Kylian Mbappe, but look set to be beaten to the Frenchman’s signature by free-spending Paris Saint-Germain.

“Anything can happen between now and August 31, but what I can say is that I am very happy with the players I have,” said Zidane.