Antonio Rudiger could face a lengthy ban following his actions during Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona on Saturday night, where he threw an object at the referee.
The match saw Barcelona clinch victory in extra time thanks to Jules Kounde’s decisive strike, but the game was overshadowed by an incident involving Rudiger. ..Continue Reading
The frustrated defender attempted to confront referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea after the match, with Madrid’s coaching staff trying to restrain him as he removed an ice pack from his right knee.
Moments later, Rudiger was caught throwing what appeared to be an ice cube in the referee’s direction.
He had already received a red card and now faces the possibility of further disciplinary action for his outburst.
The dramatic final began with Pedri giving Barcelona the lead, before Kylian Mbappe—who started on the bench due to an ankle injury—equalized for Real Madrid in the 70th minute.
Madrid then took the lead through Aurelien Tchouameni, but Ferran Torres brought Barcelona level in the 84th minute, forcing the game into extra time.
Barcelona were left frustrated in the first half after being denied two apparent penalties. The first involved an unpunished handball by Federico Valverde, and the second occurred when Dani Ceballos pulled Pau Cubarsi’s shirt during a corner.
In the second half, VAR dismissed another penalty claim when Raphinha was brought down by Raul Asencio inside the box.
The match was ultimately decided in the 116th minute, as Kounde scored a sensational long-range effort to secure the trophy for Barcelona.
Meanwhile, in La Liga, Barcelona holds a four-point lead over Madrid at the top of the table, with both teams having five matches left to play.
