Remember when Cristiano Ronaldo did a “cojones” celebration after scoring one of his three goals against Atletico Madrid? The Portuguese star is now facing trouble over that action.
UEFA has confirmed that the Portuguese ace has been charged with improper conduct in that unforgettable 3-0 win over Los Rojiblancos. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is now facing disciplinary action in a hearing on Thursday.
The 34-year-old netted an astonishing hat-trick in the second leg of Juventus’ round of 16 clash with Griezmann and Co. After being taunted by the Atletico fans throughout the first leg and criticized for his poor performance, Ronaldo made sure to hit back after netting his third strike by putting his hands on his trousers.
However, European football’s governing body took note of his antics and decided to open proceedings against the five-time Champions League winner after an investigation from an ethics and disciplinary inspector. UEFA stated:
“Following a disciplinary investigation conducted by a Uefa ethics and disciplinary inspector, in accordance with the Article 55 of the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations, disciplinary proceedings have been opened following the Champions League round of 16 match between Juventus and Atlético Madrid.”
Diego Simeone was guilty of committing a similar act in the first leg, which his Atletico side won 2-0. After Gimenez broke the deadlock, El Cholo turned to the crowd and did a “cojones” celebration which also did not go unnoticed.
The Argentine tactician was fined roughly around $23,000 but escaped a touchline ban. Time will tell whether Cristiano will also only be slapped with a fine, but there are fears he could be banned for the first leg of the quarter-finals — a trip to Ajax.
