Antonio Rudiger banned for six games after throwing object at referee in feisty Copa del Rey final

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Antonio Rudiger has been handed a six-game ban “for minor violence against the referees”, after throwing an object at the referee during the Copa del Rey final.

The Real Madrid defender and teammates Lucas Vazquez and Jude Bellingham were all given straight red cards as the match descended into chaos, with the former two reacting angrily to a foul given against Kylian Mbappe in the closing stages of the match.

England international Bellingham was sent off for dissent after the final whistle as Real lost 3-2 to Barcelona, courtesy of an extra-time winner by Jules Kounde.

Rudiger was dismissed for “throwing an object from the technical area”, which missed referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, according to his report. Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague alleged the item thrown was an ice cube.

Rudiger has now been banned for six games, with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) awarding the suspension “for minor violence against the referees”.

The former Chelsea defender could have been banned for between four and 12 matches under the RFEF’s rules. Rudiger later apologised for his behaviour.

The severity of the offence has resulted in the suspension being applied to all competitions under the RFEF, meaning it will cover the remaining five games of this La Liga campaign and the first game of next season.

The ban is unlikely to actually impact Rudiger as he underwent knee surgery on Tuesday and is likely to miss the remainder of this season as a result.

Vazquez has been suspended for two Copa del Rey games for his part in the melee, while the RFEF revoked Bellingham’s red card. The referee’s report alleged that he “approached our position in an aggressive attitude, having to be restrained by his team-mates,” but the RFEF accepted evidence provided by Real Madrid which proved otherwise.

The RFEF’s report said: “The images provided prove a reality different from that described in the referee’s report.

“There is no proximity to the referee, nor is there any evidence of aggressive behavior, nor can it be seen that his teammates restrained him to prevent an aggressive action directed at the referee, which is what the report explicitly states, and is not reflected.”

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