A confrontation between Real Madrid players and Valencia officials in the Mestalla tunnel after their La Liga match led to National Police intervention, with Antonio Rudiger involved in an incident with a member of the home side’s private security team.
The tension escalated into physical exchanges following the game, according to Spanish newspaper AS. Rudiger, Eder Militao and Jude Bellingham were among the Real Madrid players involved in the confrontation.
The dispute began after Valencia players questioned Hernandez Maeso’s decision to award Real Madrid the free-kick from which Federico Valverde put the visitors 1-0 ahead. The foul had been given against Maffeo for an offence on Kylian Mbappe, but the home players were unhappy with the decision.
As Hernandez Maeso made his way towards the officials’ dressing room, several Valencia players sought to make their objections known. The group included captain Jose Gaya, Guido Rodriguez and Pepelu, along with members of the coaching staff and sporting director Braulio Vazquez.
Real Madrid players criticised the Valencia delegation’s actions and told them to be quiet and continue towards their dressing room. The exchange increased tensions between the two groups.
Security staff then intervened to separate the players, according to the sources cited by AS. During the intervention, one member of the security team was struck while attempting to break up the incident. The report says Rudiger had been involved in an altercation with that individual.
What happened at half-time?
Hernandez Maeso also included a separate incident from half-time in his official match report. That episode involved Valencia sporting director Braulio Vazquez and the first assistant referee.
The referee’s report stated: “He caused a confrontation and went as far as confronting my first assistant, repeatedly addressing him in an angry tone and saying: ‘It’s not a foul, it’s not a foul! What a thing!’”
Hernandez Maeso added: “Likewise, when I passed by him, he directed the same remarks at me on several occasions, maintaining an angry tone and an agitated manner.”
The referee said the situation eventually required intervention from the National Police.
“As a result of this situation, the intervention of National Police officers was necessary,” the report continued. “They proceeded to verify his identity and had to hold him and remove him from the area in order to bring the incident to an end.”
The events followed a match in which Real Madrid’s goal from Valverde came after the disputed decision involving Maffeo and Mbappe, while Valencia’s players and staff continued to protest as the officials left the field.
