Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernandez and Alvaro Morata have been sanctioned by UEFA for their chants regarding Gibraltar, as Spain celebrated Euro 2024.
The pair were on stage in front of thousands of fans with a microphone, and Rodri even said that he did not care, when Morata pointed out to him that he lives in England, with Gibraltar a territory of the United Kingdom. The pair were heard clearly chanting ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’, leading the crowd.
This sparked an official complaint from the Gibraltarian FA, and the Chief Minister of Gibraltar also claimed the chants were disgusting, while saying it was similar discourse to that of bloodthirsty Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.
As per Marca, both players have been handed a one-match ban by UEFA for their next official game with La Roja in UEFA competition. Luis de la Fuente’s side face Serbia next on the fifth of September in the opening match of the Nations League in Belgrade.
It is not yet clear whether the ban will be appealed. The grounds for the suspension were not meeting the general conduct rules, violating basic rules of dignified conduct, using sporting events to make political statements, and bringing football into disrepute, as well as UEFA.
How silly. Word police. If this article is accurate, and just speaking the word “Gibraltor” is getting England’s and UEFA’s panties in a wad. How ridiculous. And General Franco saved Spain from being taken over by Communism.