As the Champions League returns next week with the round of 16, UEFA has issued a severe warning to Real Madrid. Clearly, Florentino Pérez’s club risks losing part of its stadium due to inappropriate behavior.
Since the advent of the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid has made a lot of money. An architectural marvel, the White House stadium attracts thousands of admirers every day. On match days, the entrance of Carlo Ancelotti’s team is simply legendary due to its spectacular comebacks. Recently in the UEFA Champions League, the Madrid team once again benefited from unprecedented support from its fans to overcome Manchester City. Speaking of the English team, UEFA has just made a decision that will please them.
UEFA’s stern warning before the Atlético clash
Indeed, while some Madrid supporters responded vehemently to their Citizen counterparts, who had attacked Vinicius Junior or Florentino Pérez in the first leg, UEFA believes that limits were crossed. In short, the European football governing body sanctioned Real Madrid this Friday with a €30,000 fine and a two-year suspended sanction for discriminatory behavior by its fans.
In a public statement, the body led by Aleksander Ceferin announced that these sanctions potentially include the closure of 500 seats during the next match at the Santiago Bernabeu if similar incidents occur within the next two years. Specifically, UEFA reproaches the Madrid fans for two incidents. First, a threatening banner that was not deployed at the last minute with the message “you will not leave here alive.”
Besides this banner, which the leaders ultimately refused to see and therefore was not deployed during these playoffs, homophobic chants against Pep Guardiola were heard. “Oh Guardiola, Oh Guardiola, how thin you look. At first, it was the drugs. Today, we can see you in Chueca,” chanted some Madrid supporters. For UEFA, these words are homophobic insults towards the Citizens’ coach since the gay district of Madrid, Chueca, was mentioned.
UEFA’s vigilance
It must be said, the sanction is very clear, and in case of repetition in the upcoming Champions League matches, the Santiago Bernabeu will see part of it sanctioned. Losing 500 seats would be a significant financial loss for the club and for the players who sometimes need the overall support of the stadium to achieve unprecedented performances. Beyond that, it should be noted that homophobic insults should not be heard from the mouths of Madrid fans who denounce the relentless attacks against players like Vinicius Junior and others.
It should be noted that in the public statement issued by UEFA this Friday, clubs like Anderlecht and Lazio Rome have also been reprimanded. In the case of Lazio, the sanctions could even go as far as a total closed-door match for a European competition match due to their multiple incidents.
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