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.

However, all four can feature for the 15-time European champions against Mikel Arteta’s men.

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.