The El Clásico final had everything—from red cards to penalty cancellations. Even before the match, there were headlines about controversies involving the referee. By the end, with three red cards, the controversy reached its climax.
Near the very end of the match, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger charged toward the referee after being denied a free-kick for Kylian Mbappé. There were even allegations that Rüdiger threw something at the referee—according to Spanish media reports, it was a piece of ice thrown from the dugout area.
Rüdiger was reportedly fuming with anger over the incident. It took five Real Madrid staff members to restrain him. Despite receiving a red card, Rüdiger was still reluctant to leave the field. Spanish media reports suggest that due to his aggressive behavior, he could face a harsher punishment than usual. The Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee is investigating the matter and will announce their decision in the coming days.
For now, the minimum expected punishment for the German defender is a 12-match ban. According to the Spanish Football Federation’s regulations, the maximum penalty for physically assaulting a referee with an object is a 12-match suspension. However, if the disciplinary committee deems Rüdiger’s actions to be “aggression,” he could face an even longer ban.
