Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger has been suspended for six matches following his red card during the club’s 3-2 Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona. Meanwhile, teammate Jude Bellingham’s dismissal has been overturned by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee.
The dramatic final saw a flurry of late red cards, with Rüdiger, Bellingham, and Lucas Vázquez all sent off in the closing moments of extra time, amid heated protests over referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea’s decisions.
According to De Burgos’ report, Rüdiger—who had already been substituted—was sent off in the 120th minute for “throwing an object from the technical area” and behaving aggressively, requiring intervention from coaching staff. Vázquez, also off the pitch at the time, was dismissed for entering the field in protest. Bellingham received a red card post-match for “approaching our position with an aggressive attitude,” allegedly needing to be restrained by teammates.
However, upon review, the committee found video evidence contradicted the referee’s account regarding Bellingham, identifying a “material, manifest error” in the report. As a result, his red card was rescinded.
In contrast, the panel upheld Rüdiger’s six-match ban, dismissing Real Madrid’s defense that the player’s remorse, expressed in a social media apology, should mitigate the punishment. Vázquez received a two-match suspension.
Rüdiger, who has since undergone knee surgery, is expected to miss the rest of the LaLiga season and remains doubtful for the upcoming Club World Cup.
The Copa del Rey final was fraught with tension, with Madrid entering the match under pressure following their Champions League exit and a deficit in the LaLiga title race. The build-up was marred by controversy after the club boycotted the prematch media events in protest over perceived bias from referee De Burgos and VAR official Pablo González Fuertes, citing “hostility and animosity” towards the team.
Advertisement
