Ramos could miss up to five games for insulting referee

Sergio Ramos could be in line for a heavy suspension after referee Ayza Gámez mentioned in his report of Real Madrid's 4-0 win over Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday that the centre-back insulted him after he gave him a red card.

The report reads: "As soon as I showed a yellow card to number 4 of Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos García, the player turned to me and said 'You're a disgrace.' He repeated this three times and then said 'you are always trying to screw us over' a further two times.

"Then when he had made his way towards the tunnel, he said to the assistant referee 'it's always the same, you are all a disgrace' twice."

According to article 94 of the Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary code, "insulting, offending or speaking to a referee, assistant referee, fourth official or person of authority in derogatory terms, will result in a suspension of between four and 12 matches."

Assuming Ramos is given the minimum suspension of four matches, he will also receive a single game ban for receiving the two yellow cards that lead to his sending off, and will miss a total of five games: the league encounters against Osasuna, Valencia and Getafe, and then both legs of the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey, also against Valencia.

If the offence is seen as light, he will miss three games, all in the Copa del Rey, the two games with Valencia, and should Madrid and Barça progress to the semi-finals, the first leg of the Clásico.

After the match, Ramos admitted his error by sending a message from his Twitter account:

"I regret the incident with the referee, it was a tense moment caused by my sending off. We often say things we regret later."

Madrid, who will be without the injured Pepe for a month, could therefore be without either of their first choice centre-backs for four weeks.

sursa: Viva Madrid(facebook)