In a heated moment following Real Madrid’s defeat in the cup final against FC Barcelona, defender Antonio Rüdiger lost his temper. As he sat on the substitutes‘ bench, Rüdiger expressed his frustration with the referee, throwing what appeared to be ice cubes just seconds before the end of extra time. This incident was noted by the referee in his report.
The German international received a red card, sealing Real Madrid’s fate with a final score of 3-2 (2-2, 0-1) against their eternal rivals. This loss marked yet another setback for Real Madrid after their exit from the Champions League against Arsenal and a defeat in the Supercup against Barcelona.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti left the arena visibly distressed, with uncertainty surrounding his future at the club despite having a contract until 2026. „I can continue or stop. That will be decided in the coming weeks,“ he stated, as speculation about Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso as a potential successor continues to grow.
On the other hand, Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick found a silver lining for Ancelotti on the pitch, celebrating his third victory in as many Clásicos during his first season with the Catalans. „It was incredible. We are all so proud of this team; it is a great victory for us,“ Flick remarked after the thrilling night in Seville.
As the leader in the league and with a manageable Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan ahead, Flick is poised for a potential trophy haul similar to his time at Bayern Munich, having won all seven finals as a club coach.
Additionally, goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who had been sidelined for seven months due to a serious knee injury, celebrated with the team for the first time, collecting the trophy alongside substitute captain Ronald Araujo from the hands of King Felipe VI.
The match itself was an exhilarating encounter. Barcelona took the lead through Pedri in the 28th minute, but Real Madrid surged ahead with goals from Kylian Mbappé in the 70th and Aurélien Tchouameni in the 77th minute. Ferran Torres equalized for Barcelona in the 84th minute, leading to extra time, where Jules Koundé scored the decisive goal in the 116th minute.
Tempers flared as the match concluded. When referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea blew the final whistle, calling off Real’s last attack due to a supposed offensive foul by Mbappé, chaos erupted on the sidelines. A frustrated Rüdiger, along with several teammates, protested vehemently, with Rüdiger even tearing off ice packs from his injured knees in rage.
Lucas Vazquez and Jude Bellingham also received red cards for their outbursts against the referee. De Burgos had already been under scrutiny prior to the final after expressing emotional distress over the pressure from Real Madrid and its impact on his family during a press conference.
In response, Real Madrid had canceled all mandatory pre-match engagements, labeling the referee’s actions as „unacceptable“ and even considering a boycott of the final before ultimately deciding to play out of respect for their fans.
The tumultuous scenes during extra time are unlikely to calm the ongoing controversy surrounding officiating, and Rüdiger may face a lengthy suspension for his outburst.