Real Madrid quartet clear to face Arsenal after avoiding Champions League bans

Four Real Madrid players have avoided bans for Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Arsenal.

Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Antonio Rudiger and Dani Ceballos were all potential doubts to face the Gunners in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium after a UEFA disciplinary and ethics inspector was appointed to investigate their conduct at the end of Real’s penalty shoot-out victory over Atletico Madrid in the last 16.

No disciplinary proceedings were ultimately opened against Brazilian winger Vinicius, but French forward Mbappe and German defender Rudiger were given suspended one-match bans and fined 30,000 (£25,500) and 40,000 (£34,000) euros respectively for “violating the basic rules of decent conduct”.

Rudiger was seen drawing a finger across his throat as he and his team-mates celebrated booking their passage to the quarter-finals.

Ceballos was also found guilty of the same offence but he did not receive a suspended ban, just a 20,000 euros fine.

Arsenal have been hit by a major injury blow heading into the match with the news this week that Brazilian centre-back Gabriel is out for the rest of the season.