After Real Madrid’s victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger have been punished for misconduct. Both players have been fined and handed a one-match ban, though this ban will be suspended for a year. As a result, they will be available to play in the upcoming quarter-final against Arsenal.
UEFA, Europe’s football governing body, issued a statement on Friday confirming the sanctions. Rudiger has been fined €40,000, while Mbappe’s fine is set at €30,000. Should either player commit a similar offense within the next year, their one-match ban will come into effect.
Along with these two, UEFA had also opened investigations into two other Real Madrid players—Vinicius Junior and Dani Ceballos—for disciplinary violations. No punishment has been handed down to Vinicius Junior, but Ceballos has been fined €20,000.
The disciplinary issues arose after Real Madrid’s dramatic 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid on March 12, when they advanced to the quarter-finals. The Real Madrid players celebrated wildly in front of Atletico supporters at Wanda Metropolitano, with some players dancing and making gestures in front of the opposition’s fans. In response, the home supporters threw objects at the Real Madrid players.
Real Madrid will face Arsenal in the first leg of the quarter-finals next Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium, with the return leg scheduled for April 16 at Santiago Bernabeu.
