Cristiano Ronaldo spoilt a stellar two-goal display by getting sent off for a stray elbow as Real Madrid closed to within five points of league leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday.
Cristiano Ronaldo spoilt a stellar two-goal display by getting sent off for a stray elbow as Real Madrid closed to within five points of league leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday.
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Real's Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the field after receiving a red card during the Spanish League match against Malaga. PIC/AFP |
It was all going swimmingly for Ronaldo who had ended a run of three games without a goal with a quick-fire brace (35th and 39th minutes) to take his season's tally to nine but his volatile temperament surfaced again on 70 minutes.
Ronaldo elbowed defender Patrick Mtiliga as he tugged the former Manchester United man's shirt and the referee had no hesitation in reaching for the red card.
"Cristiano (Ronaldo) showed how he can make the difference with his two goals," said defender Sergio Ramos. "I was a bit far away from the incident so I will have to watch it again on the television."
It was a second dismissal of the season for Ronaldo who was sent off in a 4-2 win over Almeria on December 5 for kicking out at an opponent.
While Ronaldo's sending off put a dampener on the win, Real will be relieved to bounce back from their Athletic Bilbao defeat with a 10th successive home win to close to within five points of Barcelona. "It was important to win so we can stay in touch (with Barcelona) and we will keep on fighting," added Ramos.
