Madrid and Germany's Rüdiger has knee surgery, gets six-game ban

Yahoo

29-04-2025

Real Madrid and Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger had a knee operation on Tuesday and faces a race to be fit for the Nations League Final Four and the Club World Cup.
The centre back was also hit with a six-game ban by the Spanish FA after throwing an object at the referee in Saturday's Spanish Cup final defeat to Barcelona.
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"Antonio Rüdiger underwent surgery today for a tear in the outer meniscus of his left knee. The operation was performed by Dr Manuel Leyes under the supervision of Real Madrid's medical services," a club statement said.
"Rüdiger will begin his recovery process shortly."
No word was given on how long he would be out for, but meniscus injuries can be serious.
Spanish newspaper AS said Rüdiger would be out for six to eight weeks and that the decision for surgery had been taken given he is likely to miss the La Liga run-in due to suspension. Madrid trail Barcelona by four points with five games left.
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German website T-Online also said he would miss weeks rather than months.
Germany's Nations League semi-final against Portugal is on June 4 in Munich, with the final or third-place match following four days later.
Madrid's Club World Cup campaign starts on June 18 against Al Hilal in Miami.
"After I have played more than seven month with severe pain, it was unfortunately unavoidable that I had to undergo a meniscus surgery. Now I'm finally pain-free again, and the surgery was a success," Rüdiger wrote on Instagram.
"I want to be able to play again as soon as possible as two big tournaments with the Nations League and the Club World Cup are in front of me, but I have to look from week to week now and we will see. I will do everything I can to make it happen."
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Despite his wish to be fit in time, Rüdiger is a huge doubt for at least the Germany games, amid calls for him to be dropped anyway because of his antics in the Copa del Rey final where he was red carded late in the game after being substituted.
While Rüdiger got a six-game ban, team-mate Lucas Vazquez was banned for two games by the Spanish FA for arguing with the referee. A red card for Jude Bellingham was meanwhile rescinded.
Kroos and Kahn defend Rüdiger
Former Madrid and Germany team-mate Toni Kroos opposes any sanction by the national team against Rüdiger.
"All these people coming out of the woodwork again, calling for him to be excluded from the national team and so on. Especially since some of them, let's just say, probably should have been suspended themselves back in the day," the 2014 World Cup winner said.
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Other former national players, such as Lothar Matthäus and Dietmar Hamann, have sharply criticized Rüdiger.
Rudi Völler, the sporting director of the German national team, told dpa on Monday the incident was "not acceptable."
He added: "Especially as a Germany international. He has to change that and he knows that himself, as his public reaction shows."
Retired Kroos warned against overreacting.
"He will get his punishment and it will be justified. But we don't need to act as if he killed someone," Kroos said during an event for his indoor Icon League in Dusseldorf late on Monday. "You always have to be careful not to just go along with the flow."
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Kroos said he had been in contact with Rüdiger, who has publicly apologized.
"It was a big mistake, I think the images speak for themselves. He knows that too, and he is aware of it," Kroos added.
Former Germany captain Oliver Kahn also came to Rüdiger's defence.
"Emotions on the pitch are not always helpful. But who doesn't overshoot the mark sometimes," he wrote on social media.
Rüdiger had shown contrition.
"That should be enough for now," said Kahn.