Rodri and Morata given one-game bans by Uefa for ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ chants Spain players chanted it at Euro 2024 victory celebrations Uefa says they violated ‘basic rules of decent conduct’ Guardian sport Wed 7 Aug 2024 13.09 CEST Share Rodri and Álvaro Morata have each been banned for one Spain match by Uefa for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during celebrations in Madrid of the victory over England in the Euro 2024 final.
Rodri, who plays for Manchester City, and Morata, a Milan striker, chanted “Gibraltar es Español” on stage in front of a massive crowd in the Spanish capital’s Plaza de Cibeles. The Gibraltar Football Association described it as “extremely provocative and insulting” and complained to Uefa, which charged the players.
Uefa said its control, ethics and disciplinary body had banned them “for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute”.
Spain’s next match is away to Serbia in the Nations League next month. Gibraltar, which lies at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, has been in British hands since 1713.
“This decision sends a clear message that football must remain a platform for promoting peace, understanding, and fair play, free from divisive and offensive actions such as the chants,” the Gibraltar FA said.
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