Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti gets two-match ban for sarcastically applauding referee

The competition committee of Spain's football federation has handed a two-match suspension to Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti for publicly dissenting with a referee.

The committee says on Wednesday that Ancelotti applauded continually in a disrespectful manner as referee Clos Gomez blew the final whistle on Madrid's 2-2 draw against Valencia last Saturday.

According to the match official's notes, Ancelotti continued the exaggerated applause in the tunnel, and did the same to one of the assistant referees.

According to the rules, coaches who show 'contempt or disregard' can be banned from the touchline for up to a month.

Should his appeal fail, Ancelotti will have to watch the season's remaining league matches against Espanyol and Getafe from the stands. Second-place Madrid trails Barcelona by four points.

Credit: SportsMail