Antonio Rudiger needs to show “class” and respect for others, German national team sporting director Rudi Voller has said, after the defender appeared to throw ice toward the referee during Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey loss to Barcelona.
Rudiger shouted at the referee and seemed to throw a small bag of ice during extra time in Madrid’s 3-2 loss to Barcelona on Saturday.
Rudiger has since apologized for his behavior, but the incident prompted former Germany player Dietmar Hamann to call Sunday for the defender to be left out of Germany’s squad for the Nations League final four in June.
“You can’t do that. And especially not as a player for the German national team. He needs to change that and he knows that himself, his public reaction shows that,” Voller told the dpa news agency in comments published Monday.
“Toni is a classy player, but as a player for the German national team he also needs to display class in his behavior. He rightly demands respect for himself (and) he needs to show this same respect to others without exception,” he added.
Voller’s comments did not address whether Rudiger’s conduct could have any impact on national team selection. He added he didn’t want Rudiger to tone down his emotional approach to the game.
“Toni is an excellent soccer player and a very emotional guy, a fighter on the field,” Voller said. “And he should stay that way.”
Germany plays Portugal in the Nations League semifinals in Munich on June 4.
