Real Madrid coach José Mourinho had been given a two-match ban for poking Barcelona’s assistant coach in the eye during August’s Spanish Super Cup, the national football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday.
Tito Vilanova, Pep Guardiola’s assistant, was given a one-match ban and both he and Mourinho were fined €600. Real and Barca were fined €180 and €90 respectively.
The bans will be effective only in the Spanish Super Cup, which is the traditional curtain-raiser to the La Liga season between the league champions and the King’s Cup winners.
TV cameras caught Mourinho jabbing his finger into Vilanova’s eye during a huge scuffle between the two teams at the end of the Super Cup second leg on August 17, which Barcelona won. Vilanova responded by cuffing the Portuguese round the back of the head.
A feet-first challenge from Real defender Marcelo on Barca new boy Cesc Fabregas sparked the melee and Marcelo, his German team mate Mesut Ozil and Barca’s Spanish international striker David Villa were all shown red cards.
Barca’s players accused Mourinho afterwards of wrecking Spanish football, while Real blamed the incident on provocations from Barcelona at the Nou Camp.
Both clubs have 10 days to lodge appeals. — Reuters