Spain’s football authority has cautioned Real Madrid defender Pepe after he stomped on the hand of Barcelona’s striker Lionel Messi in a cup clash last week.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation named Pepe on Monday on its list of players sanctioned for dangerous play in the King’s Cup quarter-finals, along with three other Real players and Gerard Pique of Barcelona.

Television images of the January 18 clash showed Pepe walking towards the referee, glancing down quickly at Messi, who was lying on the ground, and then stomping on his left hand.

The Portuguese defender apologised saying the contact was accidental, fuelling criticism in the press which considered the apology unconvincing.

Real lost the first-leg cup match 2-1 at home and travel to Barcelona on Wednesday for the second leg. They sit five points clear of Barcelona at the top of the Spanish league.

The other Madrid players cautioned by the federation for dangerous play in Monday’s list were Fabio Coentrao, Jose Maria Callejon and Ricardo Carvalho.