Stars’ bad habits erupt early in season
london — New season, old habits.
Referees are encountering insolent behaviour. Hot-headed stars are kicking out. Players are embroiled in transfer standoffs.
The petulant streak within footballers is burning brightly after the summer break in Europe, and the world player of the year is leading by (bad) example.
When Cristiano Ronaldo pushed a referee during the Spanish Super Cup victory against Barcelona, soccer’s red line was crossed. The booking for diving might have been severe and the Real Madrid forward was incensed. But the physical contact was unforgivable.
Ronaldo also only had himself to blame for accumulating two bookings, since the first followed the trademark brash goal celebration he knows breaches the rules: Flash his torso to the cameras after removing the jersey.
Ronaldo will feel harshly treated again by Spanish authorities — he’s already fighting tax charges in court — but in reality he got off lightly with a five-match domestic ban.
“The authority and the safety of the referee deserves the utmost respect and cannot be challenged,” the Spanish federation said in Monday’s judgment, “even in the hypothetical situation of having made a wrong decision.”
It was the culmination of a weekend of flare-ups in leading European competitions.
A referee also faced impertinent behaviour in London. Cesc Fabregas was booked for sarcastically applauding after a free kick was awarded against the Chelsea midfielder in the first half of Saturday’s Premier League opener against Burnley.
What made Fabregas’ reaction even more reckless was that the champions had already seen captain Gary Cahill dismissed two minutes earlier for a wild challenge. Being unable to curb his own impulses, Fabregas received the second booking late in the second half for a lunge of his own as Chelsea imploded to open their title defence with a shock loss.
Across in France, Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan also lost his cool on Sunday when he threw the ball at Strasbourg’s Benjamin Corgnet and saw red. —