Barca to appeal Ronaldinho red

Premier League / Editor / 29 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Barcelona will on Tuesday lodge an appeal against the red card shown to star striker Ronaldinho in their 1-0 win over Getafe.
The Brazilian hit the headlines for the right reasons when he put Barca in front after just two minutes on Saturday - but then blotted his copybook when he lashed out at Belenguer on 39 minutes.

Barcelona managed to hold on and keep up the pressure on Real Madrid, with both sides neck-and-neck on 72 points at the top of Spain's Primera Liga with just two games to go.

Match referee Alfonso Pérez Burull said: "After being awarded a free-kick in his favour, he [Ronaldinho] turned to the player who had fouled him and kicked him.

"He then immediately tried to kick him with the other foot but without making contact."

Barcelona would not want to lose their talisman for the remaining games and hope the Competition Committee of the Spanish FA overturns the decision when it meets on Tuesday.

Real would win their first La Liga title since 2003 if they take maximum points from their remaining fixtures - regardless of how Barca fare - and are the 1.86 favourites in Betfair's Winner 2006/07 market, with Frank Rijkaard's men slightly on the drift at 2.42.

Third-placed Sevilla are two points behind Spain's top two clubs and punters feel only a last-gasp blunder by Real will see the UEFA Cup winners take the domestic crown as they trade at 18.