Rudiger said he was racially abused

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso says defender Antonio Rudiger complained of a racist incident during their Club World Cup win against Mexican side Pachuca.

Rudiger clashed with Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral in stoppage time after claiming he had been fouled.

Rudiger spoke to referee Ramon Abatti Abel, who crossed his arms in front of his chest to signal that FIFA's anti-racism protocol had been activated.

Cabral denied he racially abused Rudiger, saying he had used an expletive and called him a "coward".

The match in Charlotte, North Carolina, ended soon after the incident - Real won 3-1 - and players argued again following the final whistle.

Fifa's three-step process for racism is stopping a match, suspending it and abandoning it if the problem continues.

Asked what happened and if a racist insult was made against Rudiger, Alonso said: "Toni has informed us about something.

"We have to wait and see now. I think the FIFA protocol has been activated to investigate. But if something did happen measures need to be taken and we support Antonio because this is something unacceptable.

"There's no tolerance for this at any level of football and whenever it occurs measures must be taken. That's what Antonio has told us and we believe him."

Cabral said: "It was a fight. We collided. He said that I hit him with my hand, and then there was an argument and the referee made the racism sign, but I was telling him the same thing the whole time."

In 2021 Rudiger, then at Chelsea, said "nothing ever really changes" after anti-discrimination campaigns in football, but that he will "continue to fight" against racist abuse.

Last week campaigners criticised FIFA after it appeared to drop anti-racism messaging at the Club World Cup.