WHAT HAPPENED?

UEFA has assigned an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to examine the actions of Mbappe, Vinicius, Antonio Rudiger, and Dani Ceballos after Real Madrid’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16 on March 12.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

One of the key incidents being examined is a gesture made by Antonio Rudiger, who was seen appearing to make a throat-slitting motion allegedly directed at the Atletico supporters. Meanwhile, video footage circulating on social media appears to capture Mbappe making a crotch-grabbing gesture during the celebrations. If the investigation leads to charges and a guilty verdict, the players could face disciplinary action in the form of suspensions, fines, or both.

WHAT UEFA SAID

A statement from UEFA read: “A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players (Antonio Rüdiger, Kylian Mbappé, Daniel Ceballos Fernández and Vinicius Junior) during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Club Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid CF on 12 March 2025."