Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has received a six-match ban for throwing an object at the referee during the Copa del Rey final, in which the team lost to Barcelona.
Rudiger and his Real teammate Lucas Vazquez, both of whom had been substituted, were shown straight red cards in Seville for reacting angrily to a foul called against Kylian Mbappe just before the final whistle.
In his report, referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea stated that Rudiger, 32, was dismissed for “throwing an object from the technical area that missed me.”
According to the report by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Rudiger has been suspended for six matches “for minor violence against referees.”
The RFEF has also revoked the red card issued to Real midfielder Jude Bellingham for dissent after the final whistle. The referee’s report noted that Bellingham “approached our position with an aggressive attitude and had to be restrained by his teammates.” However, the RFEF accepted video evidence from Real that disproved this claim.
Under Article 101 of the RFEF disciplinary code, which addresses “mild violence” toward referees, Rudiger faced a potential suspension of between four and twelve matches. His six-match ban will be served during league matches, extending into the start of next season.
Consequently, he will miss the final five games of this La Liga campaign and the opening match of the 2025-26 season.
Rudiger’s ban may have a limited impact, as he underwent knee surgery on Tuesday, which is expected to rule him out for the rest of the season. Real Madrid did not specify a timeline for his recovery, but Spanish media report that he could be sidelined for six to eight weeks. This would prevent him from playing in the remainder of the domestic season and put him in doubt for the Club World Cup, starting on June 15.
Rudiger has apologized for his actions, stating that there was “definitely no excuse” for his behavior. This apology was presented by Real as a mitigating factor in hopes of reducing his ban.
Lucas Vazquez has been suspended for two matches, both of which will be served in Copa del Rey fixtures.
In other news, the club has announced that left-back Ferland Mendy has sustained a hamstring injury, while central defender David Alaba has ruptured the meniscus in his left knee.
