Madrid to continue fight against Zidane, Samuel suspensions

Real Madrid will launch a second appeal against one-game suspensions imposed on midfielder Zinedine Zidane and defender Walter Samuel after the Spanish soccer federation ruled Thursday that the punishments must stand.

Madrid said on its website it will resort to the Spanish Committee for Sports Discipline, the country's senior sporting appeals body, in a bid to free Zidane and Samuel for Saturday's visit to Real Sociedad.

Madrid needs to win the game to maintain realistic hopes of clinching the league title. Madrid trails league leader FC Barcelona by six points with five games remaining.

Upholding the suspensions issued for the players' sendings off during Madrid's league victory over Villarreal last Saturday, the federation's appeals committee described Zidane's act of pushing Villarreal defender Quique Alvarez in the face as "violent, at least, thereby justifying the sanction."

Madrid chose not to appeal the one-game suspension of a third player, rightback Michel Salgado, who was suspended for one match after receiving a fifth yellow card in the same game.