Mbappe, Vinicius among Real Madrid stars facing UEFA conduct probe

Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger celebrates with teammates after their Champions League — Round of 16 — Second Leg — match against Atletico Madrid — Metropolitano, Madrid, Mar. 12, 2025. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 27 March 2025
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Mbappe, Vinicius among Real Madrid stars facing UEFA conduct probe

  • “A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players,” UEFA said
  • Spanish media reports suggested Real Madrid players are being scrutinized

MADRID: UEFA opened an investigation into four Real Madrid stars including Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on Thursday for alleged “indecent conduct” during their Champions League last 16 win over Atletico Madrid.
Madrid’s two superstar forward, as well as defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Dani Ceballos, face potential punishment ahead of their quarter-final first leg clash at Arsenal on April 8.
“A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players,” said the European football governing body in a statement.

Spanish media reports suggested Real Madrid players are being scrutinized by UEFA for the manner of their celebrations after the win.
UEFA and Real Madrid did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
Record 15-time champions and current holders Madrid beat their rivals on penalties at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium on March 12 after a 2-2 aggregate draw.
The night ended in controversy after Atletico forward Julian Alvarez had a penalty controversially disallowed in the shoot-out for supposedly touching the ball twice.


Paolini races into round two to kickstart Australian Open

Updated 18 January 2026
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Paolini races into round two to kickstart Australian Open

MELBOURNE: Jasmine Paolini powered into the Australian Open second round with a straight-sets demolition to kickstart the action in a hot and sunny Melbourne on Sunday.
The seventh-seeded Italian outclassed Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena.
Paolini faces Poland’s Magdalena Frech or Veronika Erjavec of Slovenia next.
“It was pretty good today, I did not expect that,” she said of her emphatic win in 69 minutes.
“Always tough to play first round. I played pretty good. I was solid, focused, so happy.
“Before the match I was a little nervous, to be honest, but then stepped on court and felt good from the first ball.”
The 30-year-old broke her opponent’s serve immediately and raced into a 3-0 lead in just 10 minutes.
She polished off the first set in 26 minutes and although Sasnovich put up more resistance in the second, Paolini ran out a comfortable winner.
Paolini reached the finals of Wimbledon and the French Open in 2024, but her best result at Melbourne Park is the fourth round in the same year.