Pepe gets ten-match ban

Real Madrid defender Pepe has been handed a 1o-match ban by Spain's Competition Committee after the Getafe game.

Pepe was shown a red card and had to be escorted off the pitch by team-mate Iker Casillas after twice aiming kicks at the prone Javi Casquero, who he had just pushed over to concede an 87th-minute spot-kick. He also struck Juan Albin in the face in the ensuing melee.

Pepe immediately went public following the game to apologise for his actions but the authorities have come down hard on the Portugal defender who will now miss the final six games of this campaign and the first four of next season.

The ban, which is the longest ever imposed on a Real Madrid footballer, breaks down as four games for his actions towards Casquero, four for those against Albin, one for the red card and one for insulting match officials.

Additionally, both Madrid and Pepe will be fined after the Brazilian-born defender ran on to the pitch to celebrate Gonzalo Higuain's late winner in the match.

Yesterday, Pepe expressed his deep remorse for his actions, which he claimed were borne out of frustration at conceding a penalty he thought would lose Madrid the match and with it their last chance at challenging Barcelona for the title.

As it happened, Casquero's penalty was saved by Casillas before Higuain's dramatic winner.

Pepe added that he had lost all enthusiasm to play football in the immediate aftermath of the incident, but said he did not want to be remembered in football for it and that he would "look to do things right" in the future.

It was also announced today that Higuain has had his yellow card from the game rescinded. It was his fifth of the season and would have resulted in a one-game suspension.