Bad news for Arsenal! Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger escape punishment ahead of Champions League quarter-final

Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger are available to face Arsenal after escaping a Champions League ban.

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• Mbappe and Rudiger escape Champions League ban
• Will both be available to face Arsenal
• Quarter-final begins next week

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The duo faced disciplinary action after the fall-out to Madrid's win at city rivals Atletico in the last 16 of the competition. However, the pair have been handed suspended sentences and fines of €30,000 and €40,000 respectively instead.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rudiger and Mbappe were joined by team-mates Dani Ceballos and Vinicius Junior in the dock, but it was decided by UEFA that Ceballos would receive a €20,000 fine and Vinicius would go unpunished. The charges related to the quartet's celebrations after their penalty shoot-out win at the Wanda Metripolitano, when Rudiger was captured making a slit-throat gesture and Mbappe was caught grabbing his crotch.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The pair may have been saved by a precedent that was set in 2019 by former Real star Cristiano Ronaldo and Atletico boss Diego Simeone, report . Ronaldo made an obscene gesture after scoring a hat-trick for Juventus against Atletico in the round of 16, a response to Simeone doing the same during the first leg, and both were fined €20,000.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Real Madrid take on Valencia in La Liga on Saturday before facing Arsenal in the first leg of the quarter-final on Tuesday.