Diego Simeone given eight-match ban

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has been hit with an eight-match ban by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) after being sent off in Friday's Spanish Super Cup second-leg win against Real Madrid.

Simeone was shown a red card by referee David Fernandez Borbalan for protesting that the official was taking too long to allow Juanfran Torres back onto the pitch after the Atletico right-back had received medical treatment.

The Argentine reacted by tapping fourth official Antonio Santos Pargana with his hand on the back of the head as he left the technical area. He also sarcastically applauded the referee's decision, before later watching the game from the stand right next to the dugout when the rules state this is not allowed.

Simeone has been heavily punished for his behaviour by the RFEF, who detailed the eight-match suspension in a statement released on Monday afternoon.

The breakdown of the ban sees Simeone miss two games for his angry protest, four for hitting the fourth official, one for the sarcastic clap and one for watching the second half from the stand. He has also been fined 4,805 euros while Atletico have been fined 2,800 euros.

According to Spanish radio station Cope, the Colchoneros boss will serve four games of the ban in La Liga, starting next Sunday at home to Eibar, and four more in the Spanish Super Cup.

The RFEF has chosen not to take any action against Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, although TV images show the forward appearing to hit out at Atletico's Diego Godin late in the game.

Fernandez Borbalan did see the incident as he stopped play and booked Ronaldo, and that yellow card has now been deemed sufficient punishment as no mention was made of the confrontation in the disciplinary bulletin.

Simeone's eight-game ban was immediately compared to the two-game suspension handed out to Jose Mourinho when the former Madrid boss poked a finger in the eye of the then-Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova during another stormy Spanish Super Cup tie three years ago.

Mourinho's ban was due to only be served in the Spanish Super Cup, but in the end he did not miss any games as he benefitted from a general amnesty declared by RFEF president Angel Maria Villar after Spain won Euro 2012.

Despite this, Atletico are unlikely to appeal the ban as Simeone himself said on Sunday that he would have to accept the disciplinary panel's judgement as he knew he had been in the wrong.

"The matter is closed," Simeone said. "It is not good to keep talking about the same thing. The people who decide will have to choose the fairest punishment. When you do wrong you must pay for it, we are waiting to see how much.

"[Assistant coach] German Burgos is capable and has my confidence, we will see the same type of football. He will be on the bench and I will watch the game from somewhere else."