In the aftermath of Real Madrid’s 3-2 extra-time defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on April 26, 2025, defender Antonio Rüdiger has publicly apologized for his conduct towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea. Rüdiger was shown a red card after throwing an object, reportedly a bag of ice, from the technical area towards the referee in protest of a late-game decision.
The incident occurred shortly after Barcelona’s Jules Koundé scored the decisive goal in the 116th minute. Rüdiger, who had been substituted earlier, reacted angrily to a foul called against teammate Kylian Mbappé, which halted a potential equalizing opportunity. His actions led to immediate dismissal and required intervention from teammates to prevent further escalation.
On social media, Rüdiger expressed remorse, stating, “There’s definitely no excuse for my behaviour last night. I’m very sorry for that. We played a very good game from the 2nd half on. After 111 minutes, I was not able to help my team anymore and before the final whistle I did a mistake. Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed last night.”
The referee’s match report cited Rüdiger for “throwing an object from the technical area, without it reaching me,” and noted that he had to be restrained by coaching staff due to his aggressive demeanor.
Rüdiger now faces potential disciplinary action, with suspensions ranging from four to twelve matches under the Spanish Football Federation’s guidelines for “mild violence” towards officials.
The Copa del Rey final was marred by multiple disciplinary issues, including red cards for Real Madrid’s Lucas Vázquez and Jude Bellingham, both for dissent towards the referee.
This defeat leaves Real Madrid focusing solely on their La Liga campaign, where they trail Barcelona by four points with five matches remaining.
