Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 10y

Simeone not seeking Ronaldo punishment

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says his club have no plans to pursue a punishment for Cristiano Ronaldo, after TV images showed the Real Madrid player appearing to hit out at Atletico's Diego Godin during Friday's Spanish Super Cup second leg clash.

As the players awaited a corner as the game moved into injury time, second half substitute Ronaldo was being marked tightly by Godin, and reacted in frustration -- with the images apparently showing the reigning Ballon d'Or forward striking the Uruguayan defender twice.

Referee David Fernandez Borbalan immediately blew for a foul, and booked Ronaldo for his action, but subsequent media reports have suggested that a heavier punishment could be appropriate given the seriousness of the incident.

However the Colchoneros boss told a news conference on Sunday morning that for him such things could happen during a game, and nobody at Atletico was planning to petition the authorities to take further action.

"I did not see the image of Cristiano," Simeone said. "On the television you see very little. These are things that happen in the game. You [journalists] are there to comment on what goes on. We always say that what happens on the pitch stays there."

Simeone himself was sent to the stands during the game for protesting an earlier decision by Fernandez Borbalan and reacted by tapping [or slapping] the fourth official on the back of the head. The Argentine is expected now to face a touchline ban of up to eight games, and said he would have to accept what was coming in a disciplinary hearing reportedly set for Monday.

"The matter is closed," Simeone said. "It is not good to keep talking about the same thing. The people who decide will have to choose the fairest punishment. When you do wrong you must pay for it, we are waiting to see how much. [Assistant coach] German Burgos is capable and has my confidence, we will see the same type of football. He will be on the bench and I will watch the game from somewhere else."

Simeone also suggested the club could do further business with potential Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool target Toby Alderweireld perhaps moving on and bringing in funds to then spend.

"[Alderweireld] is a player of the club at the moment," Simeone said. "He has some chance to leave, but we are counting on him when he is here. We really appreciate the work he does with us, and are very happy with his behaviour. He is one more of the group."

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