LATEST UPDATES 》Kylian Mbappe & Vinicius Jr Could Miss Arsenal Tie With Champions League Ban

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal could be handed a big boost ahead of the Gunners’ Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s men reached the final eight of the competition with a penalty shootout win over city rivals Atletico, but UEFA have now launched an investigation into Los Blancos’ players’ conduct during that match.

According to the Standard, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Antonio Rudiger are all in danger of missing at least the first leg of the tie against the Premier League side. The Spanish giants first travel to north London before hosting the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A subsequent ban could see one or multiple players miss the trip to England, and potentially the return tie in Madrid. There is no guarantee of such action being taken at this stage, but UEFA’s investigation is ongoing.

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Mbappe and Vinicius Jr among those under investigation

The reason stated for the investigation is said to be ‘indecent conduct’ during the heated encounter with their fierce rivals at the Metropolitano Stadium in March. It has been reported that authorities are looking into how four Real Madrid players – including Mbappe and Vinicius Jr – celebrated the dramatic win.

UEFA have appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to look into the alleged ‘indecent’ behavior. The other players involved are reported to be centre-back Rudiger and midfielder Dani Ceballos.

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Controversy struck in the Spanish capital when Julian Alvarez’s spot-kick was ruled out despite finding the back of the net, handing Real Madrid an advantage. The 15-time Champions League winners took full advantage, and the celebrations were enormous, as expected for such an occasion.

If any of the quartet in question are found to be guilty of overstepping the mark on March 12, they could be hit with either a suspension or a fine. It’s yet to be seen what the outcome of the investigation will be.

Rudiger and Mbappe’s Actions vs Atletico

The pair’s alleged ‘indecent conduct’ has been revealed

Among the alleged actions, Rudiger is said to have made a throat-slitting gesture towards the Atletico Madrid fans. Videos that circulated on social media appeared to show Mbappe grabbing his crotch during the celebrations.

These are reported to be the incidents UEFA are looking into when it comes to Rudiger and Mbappe, but it’s unknown what Vinicius Jr and Ceballos are accused of. Jude Bellingham – another Real Madrid star – was handed a one-game ban and a fine during Euro 2024 for making the same gesture Mbappe is alleged to have made.