Rudi Voller, the German Football Association’s sporting director, says Antonio Rudiger “has to change” and confirmed the pair – along with national team coach Julian Nagelsmann – spoke yesterday to discuss the Real Madrid defender’s conduct in the Copa del Rey final.
Rudiger was sent off with seconds remaining of Madrid’s 3-2 extra-time defeat to Barcelona in Seville and failed to hide his anger, throwing an ice pack at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea and having to be restrained by staff and team-mates as he attempted to get to the official.
No creo que a Rudiger le caiga más de un partido porque se ve claramente que está disputando el balón. pic.twitter.com/QnQqU8p5R4
— Manuel García (@Candeliano) April 27, 2025
Lucas Vazquez and Jude Bellingham also saw red as a weekend of undiginifed conduct by the European champions continued.
Rudiger apologises
Rudiger apologised on social media yesterday, admitting there was “no excuse for my behaviour”, but it remains to be seen what sanction is handed down with reports suggesting he could be given a 12-game domestic ban.
The 32-year-old’s actions have not gone down well in his homeland either and Voller issued a sharp rebuke this morning.
He told the SID news agency: “Toni is a great player, but as a national team player, he must also show class in his behaviour. He rightly demands respect for himself, but he must extend that same respect to others without exception.
“In this case, he and some teammates have been too affected by the extremely heated atmosphere that was inexplicably prevalent around the club. That’s not possible. Not as a German national team player.
“His has to change that and he knows that himself, his public reaction shows that.”
Rudiger initiates conversation with DFB bosses
Rudiger may also face a punishment from the DFB with Germany facing Portugal in the semi-finals of the Nations League in June with either Spain or France waiting in the final.
Voller added: “Toni reached out to Julian Nagelsmann and me yesterday, and we had an extensive conversation about the situation, directly with him, and internally with [DFB president] Bernd Neuendorf and [DFB sporting director] Andreas Rittig.”
Former Germany internationals Lothar Matthaus and Dietmar Hamann were disappointed in Rudiger’s conduct.
Matthaus told Sky90: “He went crazy, he was no longer in control.
“He is a German international, he should be an example. Yesterday he forgot all that.”
“If he gets away with a four-week suspension, he can be satisfied. I think it’s more likely to be a double-digit penalty in weeks. I expect an XXL sanction.”
Hamann wants Rudiger to be suspended
Hamann went as far as demanding Rudiger is left out of the Germany squad for the June internationals.
He told Sport 1’s Doppelpass show: “I think the DFB should suspend him.
“I would not invite him to play the final phase of the Nations League. I would leave him out for both games.”
Madrid had prior to the game petitioned for De Burgos and VAR official Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes to be removed from the game after the two officials outlined their disgust at a video on the club’s in-house TV channel that highlighted errors made during their careers.
Bengoetxea’s biggest call of the game went in Madrid’s favour as, following a VAR review at the pitchside monitor, he reversed his initial decision to award Barcelona a 96th-minute penalty after Raul Asencio appeared to bring down Raphinha.
That meant normal time ended with the game level at 2-2, Ferran Torres having equalised after Kylian Mbappe’s free-kick and Aurelien Tchouameni’s header had given Madrid a second-half lead following Pedri’s stunning opener for Barca.
But Jules Kounde’s fierce drive in the 116th minute secured victory for Barcelona as they stayed on course for the treble.
