Antonio Rudiger was ejected from the Copa del Rey final after reportedly throwing an object in the direction of the referee during Real Madrid’s dramatic defeat to Barcelona. The ill-tempered scenes unfolded as Barcelona secured the trophy in extra time on Saturday.
The incident involving Rudiger occurred in the dying moments of the match, following a controversial foul awarded against Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe. Both Rudiger and his Real Madrid teammate Lucas Vazquez, who had already been substituted, were immediately shown straight red cards for their furious reactions to the referee’s decision.
Adding to Real Madrid’s disciplinary woes, their English midfielder Jude Bellingham, 21, was also later dismissed for dissent.
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea detailed the reasons for Rudiger’s dismissal in his official match report, stating the centre-back, 32, was sent off for “throwing an object from the technical area, which missed me.” Initial reports suggest the object thrown by Rudiger was an ice cube.
The German defender now faces the prospect of a significant ban, according to the disciplinary regulations of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). If sanctioned under article 101, which addresses “mild violence” towards match officials, Rudiger could be suspended for a period ranging from four to twelve matches.
However, should his actions be deemed more severe and fall under article 104, which pertains to “assault against referees,” the potential penalties are even harsher. This article stipulates that players could be banned for three to six months if “the act was a single act and did not cause any harmful consequences.”
If the act is judged to have posed a “serious risk,” even without the referee requiring medical attention, the suspension could be extended to between six months and a full year.
What happened?
The thrilling final in Seville saw Real Madrid mount a comeback to take a 2-1 lead before Barcelona’s Ferran Torres equalized in the 84th minute, forcing the Clasico showdown into extra time.
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde ultimately secured victory for his team with a stunning 22-yard strike in the 116th minute.
In the heated final moments, Real Madrid forward Mbappe attempted to break past Barcelona defender Eric Garcia into the penalty area but was penalised for a foul.
The Real Madrid bench reacted with fury, culminating in Rudiger’s apparent throwing of an object at De Burgos Bengoetxea, leading to his dismissal and subsequent restraint by Real Madrid coaching staff.
Vazquez, 33, was also sent off for entering the field of play to vehemently protest the referee’s decision.
“You can see something is thrown – [Rudiger] is in big trouble, it doesn’t miss the referee by a million miles, it’s at the referee,” commented Premier Sports commentator Terry Gibson, adding, “It’s pathetic from the Real Madrid players.”
The referee’s report further indicated that Bellingham’s late red card was a result of him approaching the officials with an “aggressive attitude” and “having to be restrained by his team-mates.”
Video footage from the tunnel at half-time appears to capture Bellingham saying, “Everything goes in their favour. Every 50-50 decision goes in their favour” – although he was not sanctioned for this particular comment.
This is Bellingham’s second sending-off for Real Madrid this season due to dissent. He previously received a two-match ban for swearing at the referee during a 1-1 La Liga draw against Osasuna in February.
The final took place against a backdrop of existing tensions between Real Madrid and referee De Burgos Bengoetxea. Prior to the match, the referee had reportedly broken down in tears during a news conference due to the pressure exerted on officials by Real Madrid’s official TV channel, prompting an angry response from the club.
In February, Real Madrid had lodged a formal letter of complaint with the RFEF and Spain’s High Council for Sports, alleging that Spanish refereeing was “rigged” and “completely discredited” following a 1-0 loss to Espanyol. La Liga president Javier Tebas responded to this complaint by stating that Real Madrid had “lost their head”.
Later that month, the RFEF condemned the “repulsive” abuse directed at referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero for sending off Bellingham against Osasuna.
Earlier this month, both Rudiger and Mbappe received suspended one-match bans and fines for indecent conduct during their Champions League last-16 victory against Atletico Madrid, with Dani Ceballos also being fined in the same incident.
