Antonio Rudiger has issued a statement addressing the red card he received after Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona.
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The Real Madrid defender could face a significant ban after allegedly throwing ice at the referee and shouting angrily, despite being restrained by his teammates during the dramatic conclusion of the match. ..Continue Reading
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea also sent off Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vázquez for their protests.
De Burgos wrote in his match report that Rudiger ‘threw an object from the coaching area that didn’t reach me,’ adding that the former Chelsea player displayed ‘an aggressive attitude.’
Rudiger had been substituted earlier when Real Madrid players and staff had to restrain him as he held a small ice pack and continued yelling at referee De Burgos.
The German defender now faces the prospect of disciplinary measures but has since issued an apology for his behavior in a brief Instagram post.
He wrote: ‘There’s definitely no excuse for my behaviour last night. I’m very sorry for that. We played a very good game from the second half on.
‘After 11 minutes I was not able to help my team anymore and before the final whistle I did a mistake.
‘Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed last night.’
Jules Kounde’s late strike in extra time secured a thrilling 3-2 victory for Barcelona over arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.
With a stunning long-range effort from 25 yards into the bottom corner in the 116th minute, Kounde ensured Barcelona claimed their record-extending 32nd Spanish Cup title.
Pedri opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a superb curling shot from outside the box, showcasing Barcelona’s dominance in the first half.
However, Real Madrid turned the tide in the second half. Kylian Mbappe, not included in the starting lineup due to ankle concerns, came off the bench to equalize with a free kick in the 70th minute.
Shortly after, Aurelien Tchouameni powered in a header from a corner to give Madrid the lead. Ferran Torres leveled the match for Barcelona in the 84th minute, capitalizing on a quick counterattack to force extra time.
As penalties seemed imminent, Kounde’s decisive goal crowned Barcelona champions, giving Hansi Flick his first major title with the club during an impressive season where they are chasing La Liga and Champions League glory. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are left focusing solely on La Liga to avoid a trophyless campaign.
