Rodrygo hit with two-match UEFA ban after Lisbon red card tantrum
Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes will miss both legs of Real Madrid's Champions League play-in against Benfica following his dismissal in the group stage finale.
Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout phase preparations have taken a proper knock with Rodrygo Goes set to miss crucial European fixtures after UEFA dished out their expected punishment.
Two-match ban confirmed
UEFA have slapped Rodrygo with a two-match suspension following his sending off against Benfica in Madrid’s final Champions League group stage match in Lisbon. The Brazilian forward will now be unavailable for both legs of the upcoming play-in round - against none other than Benfica themselves.
The suspension comes as no surprise to Madrid officials who were bracing themselves for the bad news ever since the incident occurred. UEFA’s disciplinary committee based their decision on regulations covering “insults or abusive language toward the refereeing team.”
What happened in Lisbon?
Rodrygo’s moment of madness came after Italian referee Davide Massa disallowed what would have been a crucial equalizer from Kylian Mbappé. The official ruled that Mbappé had prevented Benfica goalkeeper Trubin from releasing the ball before scoring what would have been the 3-3 leveller.
The Brazilian clearly lost his rag, collecting two yellow cards in quick succession for protesting the decision. The first booking apparently wasn’t enough of a warning as he continued his complaints, leaving the referee with little choice but to send him for an early bath.
Additional penalties
In related disciplinary measures from the same match:
- Both Benfica and Real Madrid have been fined €40,000 each
- UEFA has issued formal warnings to both José Mourinho and Álvaro Arbeloa
- These additional sanctions relate to delays in starting the match
The absence of Rodrygo will force Carlo Ancelotti to reshuffle his attacking options for both crucial play-in fixtures, with Madrid now facing their Portuguese opponents without one of their most creative forwards.