Antonio Rudiger could face a lengthy ban after appearing to throw ice at the referee in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey final defeat by Barcelona.
Jules Kounde snatched a goal in the closing stages of extra-time as Barcelona sealed a 3-2 win over rivals Real Madrid at Seville’s La Cartuja stadium.
Tempers boiled over following the final whistle as Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez, both on the bench after being substituted earlier, received red cards from referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea for dissent from the sidelines, while Bellingham was also sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The match report from De Burgos stated that Rudiger “threw an object from the coaching area that didn’t reach me,” adding that the Madrid defender displayed “an aggressive attitude.”
Rudiger was held back by Madrid players and staff while he held a small bag of ice and continued to shout at De Burgos.
De Burgos had broken down in tears during a press conference on Friday after being asked about Real Madrid TV videos attacking referees.
Real Madrid cancelled media duties and the official training session prior to the final after De Burgos Bengoetxea’s interview, but later confirmed that they would still go ahead with the game.
Pedri put Barca ahead in the 28th minute with a brilliant curling strike into the top corner from outside the box, but Real took control in the second half as Kylian Mbappe came off the bench to score the equaliser from a free kick in the 70th minute.
Aurelien Tchouameni gave Real Madrid the lead seven minutes later with a towering header from a corner before Ferran Torres found the equaliser in a counter-attack in the 84th minute that took the game to extra time.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is expected to leave the club following the Copa del Rey defeat.