Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger apologised on Sunday after being shown a red card for throwing an object at the referee during the Copa del Rey final.
The centre-back, who had been substituted during extra-time, threw something at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in protest during the final moments of Barcelona’s 3–2 Clasico victory. Rudiger, who had to be restrained by teammates and staff, was shown a red card. Lucas Vazquez and Jude Bellingham were also dismissed at the end of the game.
“There’s definitely no excuse for my behaviour last night. I’m very sorry for that,” Rudiger wrote in an Instagram post.
“Before the final whistle, I made a mistake. Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I disappointed last night.”
Rudiger could face a ban of between four and 12 matches for his actions, which could rule him out of the upcoming La Liga Clasico on May 11.
Meanwhile, Vazquez and Bellingham’s red cards are expected to result in bans for next season’s Copa del Rey, as their offences were considered less serious.
Tensions were already high before the final, with the match officials expressing concerns over Real Madrid’s club television channel’s ongoing criticism of referees.
Referee De Burgos Bengoetxea became emotional during a press conference, breaking down in tears as he spoke about the impact of the criticism on his family.
Real Madrid reacted furiously, withdrawing from their pre-match media duties on Friday and labelling the referees’ comments “unacceptable.”
Barcelona have now defeated Real Madrid in all three Clasicos this season. Los Blancos’ hopes of major silverware rest on the La Liga title race, where they currently trail Barcelona by four points.
