Mbappé and Rüdiger fined by UEFA but cleared to play CL quarters after ‘indecent’ celebration

By: The Associated Press Posted: 9:22 AM CDT Friday, Apr. 4, 2025 Last Modified: 9:35 AM CDT Friday, Apr. 4, 2025

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger were fined by UEFA on Friday but escaped bans from the Champions League quarterfinals over “indecent” post-game celebrations in the previous round.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/04/2025 (548 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mbappé and Rüdiger were both given a suspended one-game ban for “violating the basic rules of decent conduct,” UEFA said, but those are subject to a one-year probationary period.

Madrid plays at Arsenal on Tuesday in the first leg of the quarterfinals.

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

The charges followed Madrid players celebrating a penalty shootout win over city rival Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 on March 12.

Video clips circulating on social media showed Mbappé grabbing his crotch on the field.

UEFA said Rüdiger was fined 40,000 euros ($44,000) and Mbappé 30,000 euros ($33,000). A third Madrid player, Dani Ceballos, was fined 20,000 euros ($22,000) with no suspended ban.

UEFA said no charges were made against Vinícius Júnior, who also had been under investigation.

The probationary bans are the same sanction imposed on Jude Bellingham, another Madrid player, after a similar incident with England at the 2024 European Championship. Bellingham also was fined 30,000 ($33,000) for a crotch-grabbing gesture after scoring a stoppage-time equalizer against Slovakia.

Bellingham was still under his year of probation at the Atletico game where he, Mbappé and Rüdiger all scored their spot-kicks in the shootout. Atletico won the second leg 1-0 to tie the aggregate score at 2-2.

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