Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger will receive a six-match ban for his conduct during the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona last weekend (h/t journalist Arancha Rodriguez).
The German international defender threw ice packs at the referee during the game.
Rudiger had to be restrained by teammates and staff when he wanted to storm the pitch while the match was still on.
He was already lucky to have escaped giving away a penalty on Ferran Torres, but received a deserved red card for his unsportsmanlike conduct.
His teammate Lucas Vasquez received a two-game ban, while Jude Bellingham escaped punishment after video evidence submitted cleared him of any wrongdoing.
Rudiger will likely begin to serve his suspension from next season, as he will miss the rest of this campaign.
Rudiger’s ban should have been longer
A six-match ban feels woefully inadequate for Rudiger’s outrageous behaviour during the Copa del Rey final.
Attempting to throw ice packs at a referee and trying to storm the pitch while the match was still ongoing is unsportsmanlike. It is a direct threat to the integrity and safety of the game.
Such conduct goes far beyond the heat-of-the-moment aggression. It reflects a blatant disregard for rules, respect and accountability.
Rudiger should have been made a scapegoat. This should have been a moment to set a stronger precedent. A longer ban was justified and necessary.
Madrid approached the game like victims, picking on the referee via their television channel. They acted just as entitled during the game with their incessant whining.
Los Blancos were scared of being hammered by Barca. They resorted to cheap antics to take attention away from losing four successive games to their arch-rivals.
