UEFA is unlikely to throw the book at Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Juventus superstar will receive only a one-game UEFA Champions League ban for the red card he received Wednesday in his team’s win over Valencia, according to The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson. The reported punishment means Ronaldo will miss Juventus’ home game against Young Boys on Oct. 2 but will be available to face former club Manchester United on Oct. 23 at Old Trafford.
Referee Felix Brych dismissed Ronaldo in the 29th minute of Valencia vs. Juventus after he collided with Jeison Murillo in an off-the-ball incident. Ronaldo and Juventus protested vehemently, albeit in vain.
Ronaldo left Mestalla Stadium field in tears.
Afterward, Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, used Instagram to blast the referee and UEFA officials in her brother’s defense.
“Shame on football,” she wrote, as translated to English. “Justice will be done. Want to destroy my brother. Shameful”.
The furor surrounding Ronaldo’s red card likely will blow over by next month when he returns to Manchester United’s stadium, Old Trafford, for the first time as a Juventus player. Ronaldo played for Manchester United between 2003 and 2009 and became a club legend by helping it win three Premier League titles, as well as one FA Cup, two League Cups, one UEFA Champions League title and one FIFA Club World Cup. He left the Red Devils for Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world-record transfer fee.
