Real Madrid players Antonio Rüdiger and Kylian Mbappé have avoided immediate suspensions following a UEFA investigation into gestures made during celebrations after their Champions League Round of 16 victory over Atletico Madrid. Both players, however, received fines and warnings on Friday, April 4th.
Rüdiger was fined €40,000 and Mbappé €30,000. UEFA also issued both players with the threat of a one-match ban should they commit similar offenses within the next year. Teammate Dani Ceballos received a €20,000 fine, while Vinícius Jr. escaped punishment entirely.
The decision means all players, including Rüdiger, are available for selection for Real Madrid’s crucial Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal, should manager Carlo Ancelotti choose them.
This comes as a relief for Madrid, particularly as midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is suspended for the Arsenal clash due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Reports indicated Madrid were most concerned about a potential ban for Rüdiger, whose gesture UEFA reportedly considered more serious.
The UEFA investigation was prompted following the tie at the Metropolitano stadium, reportedly stemming from a defense submitted by Atletico Madrid, who were also under scrutiny for objects being thrown during the matches.
The outcome echoes previous UEFA decisions. In 2019, Cristiano Ronaldo (then at Juventus) and Atletico coach Diego Simeone were both fined €20,000 for separate celebratory gestures during their Champions League tie, suggesting fines are a common sanction for such incidents.
While Rüdiger, Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr. are cleared to play against Arsenal, Ceballos’s availability remains dependent on his recovery from injury.
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