Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has been handed a two-match ban after sarcastically applauding referee Carlos Clos Gomez at the end of his side's 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation's Competition Committee said in a statement published by AS: "To address the referees, executives or sports authorities in terms or with attitudes of contempt or disregard, provided the action does not constitute a more serious offence, is punishable with a suspension of two to three matches or for a period of up to a month."

'If you're unhappy and you know it, clap your hands'. Carlo did and now he's got a 2-match ban http://t.co/RwuSnq9OPt pic.twitter.com/b2VHikOQKj - AS English (@English_AS) May 13, 2015

Real Madrid defender Pepe had been publicly critical of the referee after the game, during which Cristiano Ronaldo had missed a first-half penalty.

Pepe said: "I think that football is a contact sport and I don't understand my yellow card. We had fouls given against us and [Valencia midfielder] Andre Gomes committed quite a few, and came away with a yellow card. It was a theoretically straightforward game and he complicated things a bit."

In his report, Clos Gomez wrote: "At the end of the match, the home coach Carlo Ancelotti, from 30 metres away, addressed me [with] insistent clapping and ostensibly in disapproval with our performance.

"He then retreated to the tunnel where he repeated the same action with my No. 1 assistant."

Unless Madrid successfully appeal the punishment, Ancelotti will not be on the sidelines for the matches against Espanyol and Getafe.

Saturday's draw left Madrid four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona with two games of the season remaining, although the season could potentially be cut short by the players' strike.