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| Antonio Rudiger Handed Six-Game Ban After Throwing Ice Pack at Ref in Copa del Rey Final. |
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has been hit with a six-game suspension by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following a heated incident during their Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona.
Here's what went down: Rudiger, who had already been subbed off, lost his cool after a controversial call by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. In a moment of frustration, Rudiger got up from the bench and threw an ice pack in the referee’s direction. He even tried to get back onto the field to confront the official, but was physically restrained by club staff before things got worse.
At first, Rudiger faced the possibility of a 12-match ban, but the RFEF decided on a six-game suspension instead, citing “minor violence against referees.”
Usually, suspensions like this only apply to the competition where the incident occurred. But since Rudiger’s punishment is more than four games, it extends across multiple competitions — including La Liga. With five league games left this season, the German center-back will miss all of them.
Interestingly, it turns out Rudiger had just undergone knee surgery — likely for the same injury he was icing during the game. So, even before the suspension was announced, his season was already over. He’s expected to be out for about two months, but that doesn’t exempt him from the ban. He’ll also miss Real Madrid’s first domestic game of the 2025/26 season.
Rudiger wasn’t the only one disciplined. Right-back Lucas Vazquez also received a two-game suspension after being sent off for dissent. He’ll serve his punishment during next season’s Copa del Rey.
On the bright side for Madrid, midfielder Jude Bellingham saw his red card overturned. The match report initially claimed Bellingham acted “aggressively” and needed to be restrained, but the club successfully appealed and proved otherwise.
This Copa del Rey final turned out to be way more dramatic off the field than on it. Between injuries, suspensions, and rescinded red cards, it’s a reminder that even moments on the bench can have major consequences — especially when tempers flare.
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