Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger could face ban for Copa del Rey final outburst: Why it could hurt La Liga hopes

Antonio Rudiger is now facing the possibility of a four-to-12-match ban for throwing an object towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea during Real Madrid's loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, something the defender has since apologized for.

Rudiger came off in the 111th minute, shortly before Jules Kounde's 116th-minute strike ensured Barcelona would come out on top, but received a red card in the 123rd minute for his conduct on the bench. The defender was upset about the referee's decision to call a foul against Kylian Mbappe, denying Real Madrid a chance to muster one final attacking play before the final whistle blew. Rudiger went on to throw an object at de Burgos Bengoetxea and had to be held back by his teammates as he continued his outburst.

In his post-match report, the referee said Ruidiger was shown a red card "for throwing an object from the technical area which did not reach me. After being shown the red card, he had to be held back by various members of the coaching staff, while he showed an aggressive attitude."

Ruidger issued an apology on social media on Sunday for his conduct at the end of the game.

"There's definitely no excuse for my behaviour last night. I'm very sorry for that," Rudiger wrote. "We played a very good game from the second half on. After 111 minutes, I was not able to help my team anymore and before the final whistle I did a mistake. Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed last night."

He was not the only Real Madrid player to receive a red card in the dying minutes of the match. Lucas Vazquez, who had also already been switched off, was sent off "for protesting one of our decisions, entering various metres onto the playing surface, and making gestures of disconformity," per the referee's report, while Jude Bellingham received a red card because "he came towards us with an aggressive attitude, having to be held back by his teammates."

Vazquez and Bellingham are likely to receive two-match bans that they will serve during next season's edition of the Copa del Rey, though Rudiger will likely be charged differently in the Royal Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary code. Considering Ruidger's conduct, he might be charged under section 101, which states that "Mild violence toward the referees. Grabbing, pushing, or shaking, or generally using other attitudes toward the referees that, while only mildly violent, will result in a suspension of four to 12 matches."

Should Rudiger face such a charge, the suspension would apply to other domestic matches and not only the Copa del Rey. That ban could start at as soon as May 4, when Real Madrid return to play, and impact a very crucial period of the season – Los Blancos are just four points behind Barcelona in La Liga's title race with five games to go, a run of fixtures that includes a final edition of El Clasico this season on May 11.