Pepe suspended for ten matches,Real Madrid will appeal

Pepe has been suspended for ten matches by the Committee Competition for his violent acts against Getafe during the week.

The Portuguese player was guilty of kicking Javier Casquero, punching Juan Albin and also verbally abusing the officials as he was taken from the pitch.

He will now be out for the rest of the season and will play no further part in the title chase as Madrid look to close the gap on Barcelona at the top of the table.

With six games left this season the defender will also miss the first four matches of the next campaign.

There was good news from the Committee too though as Gonzalo Higuain had the yellow card that he picked up against Getafe rescinded.

That booking was the fifth of the season for the Argentine and he would have been suspended for the game with Sevilla this weekend, but will now be free to play.

Higuain is the top scorer for Madrid and his goal in the dying moments on Tuesday kept up the pressure on Barcelona at the top of the table.

Him scoring might well have landed Pepe in more hot water though as he ran onto the pitch to celebrate the goal, after he had already been dismissed.

Real Madrid are likely to appeal the decision by the Committee and they will have ten days to do so.

Pepe:No desire to return to football

Real Madrid centre-back Pepe stole the headlines this week for all the wrong reasons after he went berserk during his side’s pulsating 3-2 win over Getafe on Tuesday night.

Having apologized profusely immediately following the game for his on-field assault on his opponent, Javier Casquero, the Portuguese has now broken his silence after taking some time off to reflect on the incident.

“These are the worst days of my life. I do not have any desire to return to playing football,” he said in an interview with Marca from his home in the Spanish capital.

“I have seen the replays of the incident, but I do not recognize myself. I lost my cool and I went crazy, but that is not me.

“The worst punishment is going through what I’m experiencing now. If I see that there’s no chance of me returning to football again, then I will try something else.”

Pepe is expected to be handed a significant suspension and fine by the league and by his own club, which could effectively end his season and Madrid career - especially if the new administration decides to give him the axe.