Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has been handed a six-match suspension after hurling an object at the referee during Saturday’s heated Copa del Rey final, which ended in a dramatic 3-2 extra-time defeat to Barcelona in Seville.
Rudiger, who had already been substituted before the incident, was shown a red card after aggressively confronting referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. The German international has since apologised publicly, admitting fault and expressing regret. “There’s definitely no excuse for my behaviour,” Rudiger wrote on Instagram. “Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I disappointed.”
The 32-year-old underwent knee surgery earlier on Tuesday, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. He will serve one game of the ban at the start of next season, with Real Madrid having five La Liga fixtures remaining.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham, also sent off after the final whistle, will not serve a ban after the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee found an error in the referee’s match report. The report had claimed Bellingham needed to be restrained by teammates, but video evidence showed otherwise. “There is no proximity to the referee, no aggressive behaviour observed,” the committee said.
Lucas Vázquez, who was also dismissed during the final minutes, received a two-match ban for his role in the chaotic closing stages.
The match unfolded under tension following a war of words between Real Madrid and the Spanish refereeing body, with the latter holding a rare press conference ahead of the final to condemn persistent criticism—particularly from Real Madrid TV. The club responded by calling the comments “unacceptable” and “threatening in tone.”
Rudiger’s ban rules him out of the highly anticipated La Liga Clasico on May 11, compounding a difficult end to the season for the capital club.
