UEFA has taken action against Real Madrid following discriminatory behaviour from a section of their supporters during the Champions League clash against Manchester City.
According to a report from MARCA, UEFA’s appeals body has decided to impose a partial stadium closure at the Santiago Bernabeu, which will be enforced under a two-year probation period.
The sanction, based on Article 14 (2) of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations, requires Real Madrid to close at least 500 seats for their next home match in a European competition.
Additionally, a fine of €30,000 has been imposed on the club due to the behaviour of some fans towards Pep Guardiola.
The incidents primarily involved offensive chants directed at Guardiola during the second leg of the round of 16, in which Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory over Manchester City, confirming their place in the next stage of the competition.
Details of the ban
UEFA has also specified that the disciplinary measures will not be enforced immediately but will come into effect if a similar incident occurs during the two-year probation period.
This is in line with Article 26, paragraph 3, of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations. The UEFA Appeals Committee, which has jurisdiction over urgent disciplinary matters, was responsible for making the final ruling on the case.
The chants from a section of Real Madrid supporters during the match included offensive remarks about Guardiola, which UEFA deemed unacceptable under its regulations against discriminatory behaviour.
While the partial stadium closure is relatively limited in scope, it serves as a warning to the club that any further breaches of conduct could result in stricter penalties.
As a result, Real Madrid must ensure stricter measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in future European matches.
With the probation period in place, any recurrence of such behaviour could lead to harsher consequences for the club, affecting their ability to host European fixtures at full capacity.
