Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has issued an apology following a potentially lengthy suspension for allegedly throwing an object at the referee during the Copa del Rey final on Sunday.

In the dying moments of Real’s 3-2 defeat to Barcelona, Rudiger and his teammates reacted with frustration over a foul called against Kylian Mbappe shortly before the match concluded. Out of anger, Rudiger seemingly threw an object in the direction of referee De Burgos Bengoetxea.

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“There’s no excuse for my actions last night, and I sincerely apologize. We played well in the second half, but I made a mistake just before the whistle. I apologize to the referee and to all those I disappointed,” Rudiger expressed on X.

In his post-match report to the Spanish Football Federation, referee Bengoetxea noted that Rudiger had thrown “an object that missed me,” while Bellingham received a red card for displaying an “aggressive attitude” towards the officials after the match.

The report stated: “In the 120th minute, Antonio Rudiger (22) was sent off for throwing an object from the technical area, which missed me. After being shown a red card, he had to be restrained by coaching staff due to his aggressive demeanor.

“In the 120th minute, Lucas Vazquez Iglesias (17) was sent off for protesting one of our decisions and entering the field while making gestures of disagreement.”

“In the 999th minute, Jude Victor William Bellingham (5) was sent off for approaching us in an aggressive manner after the match, requiring restraint from his teammates.”

During a press conference, when asked about Rudiger’s substitution, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti explained that fatigue was the reason for the decision.

“He had an outstanding performance and played as long as he could. His effort was commendable; he wasn’t injured, just exhausted and unable to continue,” Ancelotti stated.

After a three-year hiatus, Bengaluru’s reigning National champion Karna Kadur from Arka Motorsports clinched a round of the FIA-Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2025 at the Madras International Circuit on Sunday.

It was an impressive performance in the Volkswagen Polo by the 36-year-old Kadur, who received significant support from his veteran co-driver Musa Sherif from Kasargod. Together, they also secured victory in the first round of the FMSCI Indian National Championship 2025, powered by Vamcy Merla, and organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club.

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Finishing in second place at the APRC was Kadur’s teammate, former National champion Amittrajit Ghosh, based in England, with co-driver Ashwin Naik from Mangaluru. Delhi’s Harkrishan Wadia (co-driver Harish KN, Bengaluru) rounded out the APRC podium after Philippos Matthai (Harish KN) retired due to a mechanical issue just five kilometers from the last Special Stage.

Wadia, who performed exceptionally well, managed to recover from a two-minute penalty imposed for early check-in at Start Time Control, ultimately winning the Junior APRC (ages 28 and younger) category. He finished ahead of overnight leader Arnav Pratap Singh (Rohit N) and Abhin Rai (Moideen Jasheer KM).

Kadur credited his success to a careful balance of caution and aggression. “It was a smooth run for the first time in a while. The car was fantastic, and everything came together perfectly. We had a well-thought-out strategy that worked seamlessly. Although we could have pushed harder, we had to be cautious due to rising temperatures. I noticed other competitors struggling, so I made sure to hold back for when I really needed to accelerate. Overall, it’s a great start to the season, and Musa’s guidance was invaluable,” he said.

Despite challenges with his VW Polo, which was assembled just days before the event after his Mahindra XUV 300 failed during testing, Ghosh managed to perform admirably. “We faced several issues throughout the weekend, including losing the clutch today, which hindered our speed. Given we only had a few days to get this Polo ready, we did quite well.”

Wadia was pleasantly surprised to finish third in the APRC and lead the INRC2 category. “The two-minute penalty significantly affected my time, even though my pace was strong over the two days. Luckily, I gained over 50 seconds on my competitors today due to Philippos’s retirement.”

Another standout performance came from Bengaluru’s Tarushi Vikram (Vybhav Mukund Rao), who triumphed in the Women INRC category, showcasing impressive speed and control.

The Indian women’s hockey team showcased a strong and determined performance but ultimately lost to Australia A, ending the match 2-3 in their second outing of the Australia tour at the Perth Hockey Stadium on Sunday.

Indian Women’s Hockey Team Faces Second Defeat Against Australia A in Perth

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New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) Despite their efforts, the Indian women’s hockey team fell short against Australia A, suffering a 2-3 loss in their second match of the Australia tour at the Perth Hockey Stadium on Sunday.

India initially took the lead with Jyoti Singh scoring in the 13th minute. Australia A responded, with goals from Evie Stansby (17’), Dayle Dolkens (48’), and Jamie-Lee Surha (52’). India added another goal from Sunelita Toppo in the 59th minute.

The Indian team started strong, showing intent and control in their offensive plays, applying significant early pressure. India was rewarded for their efforts with a Penalty Corner late in the first quarter, which Jyoti Singh converted to give them a 1-0 advantage.

In the second quarter, Australia A retaliated, earning a Penalty Stroke that Evie Stansby successfully converted (17’). India continued to push offensively, but Australia A held firm, and the teams went into halftime tied at 1-1.

Both teams aimed for a second goal after the break, leading to an exciting back-and-forth. While Australia A initially dominated, the Indian team countered effectively, closing out the third quarter level at 1-1.

In the final quarter, Australia A took the lead with a goal from Dayle Dolkens (48’), followed by another from Jamie-Lee Surha (52’), making it 3-1. The Indian side rallied back, with Sunelita Toppo scoring in the 59th minute, but they couldn’t equalize, and Australia secured the win.

India will compete against Australia in the third match of the tour on May 1, Thursday.