El Clasico assistant ref suspended for being 'too friendly' with Barcelona stars

Sometimes it doesn't pay to be friendly.

Assistant referee Pau Norbert Cebrian Devis was a bit too hospitable during El Clasico, and will sit out two matches in punishment for being too familiar with Barcelona's players. Devis was not assigned to a La Liga game this round, and will reportedly miss out next weekend as well.

Spanish radio station Cadena Ser (h/t the Mirror) have revealed that the committee mentioned in their report how close Devis was with some Barcelona players in the Camp Nou tunnel by the dressing rooms. The committee disapproved of his actions and thusly suspended him.

Real Madrid were visibly incensed by some of the decisions made by the referee during El Clasico, but didn't go as far as to make an official complaint. Captain and scorer of Madrid's late equalizer Sergio Ramos spoke after the match, but also held back from criticizing the referees directly: "The referee at Camp Nou? I could say a lot of things after watching the game back a couple of times, but it wouldn't change anything. I'm going to keep out of it because I don't want to give headlines."

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