The Spanish Football Federation's Appeals Committee has turned down Real Madrid's bid to reduce the five-match down meted out to Sergio Ramos following the defender's sending-off in the second leg of the 'Copa del Rey' last 16.

Ramos was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the game against Celta de Vigo and reacted by confronting the match official, calling him "a disgrace" on several occasions. The Competition Committee's original five-match ban included a one-game suspension for the sending-off, with a further four on top for abusing the referee.

Real Madrid lodged an appeal, but the Appeals Committee has rejected the club's argument, referring to precedents from earlier in the season, like the punishment handed out to Espanyol forward Sergio García.

The committee also stressed that Ramos could be considered lucky, as he received "the absolute minimum" ban possible under the Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary code, which specifies that insulting the referee carries a suspension of at least four games.

The committee has also turned down the appeal from Athletic de Bilbao against the booking given to Mikel San José for holding a Rayo Vallecano player. The committee ruled against the appeal on the basis that "video evidence shows that the incident took place exactly as described by the referee".