COMMENT: The Portuguese netted his 300th goal for Real Madrid, but saw his evening soured by an unjust yellow card that leaves him suspended - and there could be worse to come
It should have been a happy moment. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 300th goal for Real Madrid in the 2-0 win at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday night, but instead of celebrating with joy, he reacted with a show of defiance and yet another controversial gesture that could land him in hot water.
Ronaldo was very lucky to escape punishment for touching his genitals and challenging referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz in the recent Clasico clash at Camp Nou, when he had already been booked by the Valencia-born official.
He had previously caused controversy after he was sent off at Cordoba in January by cleaning off the World Club Cup badge on his shirt as he left the pitch.
Against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday, he had actually been hard done by as he was denied a clear penalty and booked for diving by referee Mario Melero Lopez.
That decision, after the Portuguese had been sycthed down in the area by Antonio Amaya, means the 30-year-old is now suspended for the weekend game against Eibar at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Portuguese later headed home to give Madrid the lead in a difficult match at Vallecas to net his 300th goal for Madrid and close in on the club's all-time top scorers Raul (323) and Alfredo Di Stefano (308).
But his "robbery" gesture is unlikely to go down well and he could face a ban if investigated by the Competition Committee this week.
The hand gesture is commonly used in Spain to express when someone feels they have been robbed and the Ballon d'Or winner felt he had been treated extremely harshly having not only been denied the penalty but booked as well.
The action soured a superb showing by the Portuguese. He dug his side out of a hole with his sheer ambition, netting the opening goal and also assisting James Rodriguez for Madrid's second of the evening as Carlo Ancelotti's side claimed a hard-fought but ultimately deserved three points to keep them in the title race, four behind Barcelona.
"I told the referee that everyone saw it was a penalty," Ancelotti said after the game.
"I told him it was incredible that he didn't award a penalty and that he showed Cristiano the yellow card. We will appeal."
It was incredible, but Ronaldo's reputation precedes him and this time the decision did not go his way.
An appeal would likely be successful if the action is seen as an isolated incident, but the forward's gesture will do him no favours in his hopes of facing Eibar on Saturday.
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