MADRID, (Reuters) – The normally loyal Madrid-based sports papers rounded on Pepe yesterday after the Real Madrid defender stamped on Lionel Messi’s hand during Wednesday’s King’s Cup quarter-final first leg defeat by Barcelona.
The behaviour of the Portuguese international, who was playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role, was “shameful” and “intolerable”, Marca wrote in an opinion piece, while As columnist Luis Nieto said he deserved “general condemnation” and should be punished.
Television replays showed that Pepe, already booked for a late tackle on Sergio Busquets, appeared to deliberately tread on Messi’s hand about 20 minutes from the end of Barca’s 2-1 comeback win at the Bernabeu in an incident apparently missed by the referee.
His theatrical reaction after tangling with Cesc Fabregas earlier in the second half, when he rolled around clutching his face, also drew criticism.
“Violent, with excessive aggression, play-acting and a long way from what the behaviour of a footballer in a high-level match should be,” Marca wrote.
“What’s more, his problem is that he is a repeat offender,” the paper added, recalling an incident during the 2008-09 season when Pepe kicked Getafe’s Francisco Casquero while he was on the ground, an action that earned the Portuguese a 10-match ban.
“The Casquero episode cannot now be seen as an isolated one but instead must be viewed as the sad reality of a player who goes beyond over-excited.
“Pepe might be an excellent person away from the pitch – and he is – but someone urgently needs to make him reflect and help him to correct these shameful actions.”
INVOLUNTARY ACT
The 28-year-old published a brief statement on the club website (www.realmadrid.com) later on Thursday saying he had not meant to stamp on Messi and it had been unintentional.
“I nevertheless want to apologise to him if he was offended because all I do is defend my team and this institution,” he added. “I give my heart and soul and the thought of hurting a colleague has never entered my mind.”
