UEFA has officially dismissed Real Madrid’s appeal to overturn disciplinary actions imposed on Antonio Rüdiger, Kylian Mbappé, and Dani Ceballos for what it described as “improper conduct.”
The sanctions stem from incidents that occurred during Madrid’s dramatic Champions League round-of-16 penalty shootout victory over Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium on March 12.
Rüdiger, Mbappé, and Ceballos were fined €40,000, €30,000, and €20,000 respectively for “violating the basic rules of decent conduct.” While no immediate suspensions will be served, both Rüdiger and Mbappé have been handed one-match bans, which will be triggered only in the event of future repeat offenses.
The disciplinary proceedings were initiated following widely circulated footage:
– Antonio Rüdiger was seen making a throat-slitting gesture towards Atlético fans.
– Kylian Mbappé made a crotch-grabbing gesture during celebrations.
– Dani Ceballos was accused of provoking the home crowd.
UEFA’s appeal body has now reaffirmed its decision, stating that there are no grounds to reverse the disciplinary measures, which were initially announced on April 4.
The ruling sends a clear message from European football’s governing body on maintaining standards of conduct—even during high-stakes encounters.
