Morning Ticker: UEFA to probe Real Madrid cards, Fabregas out and more

Real Madrid (Getty)

By TRAVIS CLARK

Two late red cards are unusual in the late stages of any match, but in Tuesday's Champions League game, Real Madrid players Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were both sent off for time wasting, earning second yellow cards.

Wednesday morning, UEFA announced that they are investigating both dismissals, under the idea that both Alonso and Ramos intentionally earned the cards. Real Madrid has already qualified for the knockout rounds and will miss the meaningless final group game against Auxerre. By earning red cards in the fifth match, Alonso and Ramos would enter the knockout stages with a clean disciplinary record.

The possibility of an extended ban for the players exists, under the UEFA rules and articles on sportsmanship, if both were to be found at fault.

Here are a few other stories for Wednesday:

FABREGAS OUT 2-3 WEEKS

In the wake of another Champions League defeat, Arsene Wenger admitted that playing Fabregas was a risk. And when the 23-year-old Spanish midfielder had to be substituted when a hamstring problem recurred. As a result, Fabregas could miss up to three weeks for Arsenal.

SUAREZ BAN EXTENDED TO SEVEN GAMES

Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, will miss the next seven games for biting PSV midfielder Otman Bakkal. The tempermental attacker bit Bakkal in Saturday's Eredivise action, which went unnoticed by the referee. Suarez had already been given a fine and a two-game ban from his club Ajax, but the Dutch soccer federation stepped in to extend the team-imposted suspension five more games.

WELSH REFEREES COULD BREAK STREAK

A referee crisis in Scotland could be temporarily solved this weekend, with the Scottish Football Association considering using a team of four referees from Wales to f! ill in f or games on Saturday and Sunday. Scottish referees are planning to strike as a result of perceived criticism and abuse this season.

ADEBAYOR MIGHT MAKE CITY EXIT

Manchester City could sell forward Emmanuel Adebayor in the next transfer window, according to first-team coach David Platt. Adebayor has seen himself consigned to a substitute's role throughout much of the season, and has previously expressed his interest in a move to Juventus in the past.

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What do you think of Real Madrid's red cards yesterday? Can Arsenal bounce back without Fabregas? Is seven games a good number for Suarez?

Share your thoughts below.