German football director Völler: Rüdiger's outburst 'not acceptable'
Leverkusen's former sporting director and current sporting director of the national team Rudi Voeller gives an interview prior to the start of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan at BayArena. Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
German Football Federation (DFB) sporting director Rudi Völler said that the outburst of Germany and Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger in the Copa del Rey final was "not acceptable."
"Especially as a Germany international. he has to change that and he knows that himself, as his public reaction shows," Völler told dpa on Monday.
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"Toni is a great player, but as a national team player he must show class in his behaviour. He rightly demands respect for himself, and he must also show respect to others without exception."
Völler's remarks, however, don't mean Rüdiger will be suspended from the national team, as TV pundits have called on.
The incident happened during the Copa del Rey defeat to Barcelona on Saturday. Rüdiger, who had been subbed off, was sent off for throwing an object at the referee and angrily reacting to a foul given against team-mate Kylian Mbappe shortly before the final whistle.
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea said in his report that Rüdiger was dismissed for "throwing an object from the technical area, which missed me." The defender reportedly threw an ice cube at the official.
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On Sunday, the player apologized for his actions.
"There's definitely no excuse for my behaviour," Rüdiger posted on an Instagram story. "I'm very sorry for that.
"Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed."
Lehmann: 'It's just the emotions'
Former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, meanwhile, defended Rüdiger.
"He's become such a great player because of who he is. And if you want to take that out of him now, then he might no longer be at his full potential," he told the Welt TV.
Lehmann added that Rüdiger didn't "show impeccable behavior," but that he thinks that the defender's actions are "excusable."
"It's just the emotions that get the better of someone from time to time. I could say from my own experience that I was emotional myself."
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