Partial Stadium Closure and Fine Imposed Following Offensive Chants Directed at Pep Guardiola
UEFA has taken decisive action against Real Madrid after a section of their supporters engaged in discriminatory behavior during the Champions League round of 16 clash against Manchester City. The governing body’s appeals body has ruled that the Santiago Bernabeu will face a partial stadium closure for the club’s next home match in a European competition, alongside a €30,000 fine.
The sanctions stem from offensive chants directed at Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the second leg of the tie, which Real Madrid won 3-1 to secure their place in the next stage of the tournament. According to MARCA, UEFA’s decision is based on Article 14 (2) of its Disciplinary Regulations, which addresses incidents of discriminatory conduct. The partial closure will require Real Madrid to block off at least 500 seats during their next European home game.
However, the measures will not take immediate effect. Instead, they will be enforced under a two-year probation period, as outlined in Article 26, paragraph 3, of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations. This means the sanctions will only be activated if a similar incident occurs within the next two years.
The chants, which targeted Guardiola, were deemed unacceptable by UEFA, prompting the governing body to issue a stern warning to the Spanish giants. While the partial stadium closure is relatively modest in scale, it underscores UEFA’s commitment to tackling discriminatory behavior in football.
Real Madrid must now implement stricter measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in future European matches. Failure to do so could result in more severe penalties, including larger stadium closures or additional fines, which could impact the club’s ability to host European fixtures at full capacity.
The ruling serves as a reminder to clubs and fans alike that UEFA will not tolerate behavior that undermines the spirit of the game. As Real Madrid prepares for their next European campaign, all eyes will be on the Bernabeu to ensure that the probationary period passes without further incident.
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