Antonio Rudiger opens up on heated moment with referee during Copa del Rey final – ‘I didn’t throw the ice’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has finally spoken out about the incident that caused major headlines during the final moments of the Copa del Rey final, a game that ended in disappointment for Los Blancos as they lost to Barcelona.

The match ended in chaos for Rudiger, who completely lost his cool in the closing stages.

Cameras caught the German centre-back furiously charging towards the referee. Several of his teammates had to hold him back, and even then, it was not easy.

In the heat of the moment, Rudiger appeared to throw something at the referee, an act that sparked widespread outrage and quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the season.

Rudiger explains his actions

Following the incident, Rudiger was handed a six-match suspension, a decision that remained unchanged even after Real Madrid appealed.

Antonio Rudiger has opened up on the incident. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Despite his public apology shared on social media, the Appeal Committee upheld the original punishment, saying the actions could not be excused.

Now, nearly a month after the event, Rudiger has opened up about the incident. When asked about the moment, Rudiger was clear in his response:

“I didn’t throw ice at all. I made a mistake, yes, totally, but I didn’t throw ice.”

He then clarified that what he did throw was not ice, but tape. While that might not make the moment less serious, Rudiger was trying to set the record straight on what actually happened.

The backlash has not been limited to Spain. In Germany, the incident caused many to question whether Rudiger should continue representing the national team.

Though no official action has been taken by the German football federation, public opinion remains divided.

What is certain is that Rudiger’s actions left a mark, and even with his explanation, it may take time before fans and officials fully move past the event.

Source: SPORT