Incident Overview
Manchester City’s Rodri and Atlético Madrid’s Alvaro Morata have been handed one-match bans by UEFA following a controversial chant during Spain’s European Championship celebrations. The incident occurred after Spain’s victory over England, where Rodri was named Player of the Tournament.
The Controversial Chant
During the celebrations, Rodri and Morata shouted “Gibraltar is Spanish” to the crowd, prompting a complaint from the Gibraltar FA. The chant was deemed inappropriate and led to an investigation by UEFA.
UEFA’s Verdict
UEFA’s Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body ruled that the players violated several principles, including failing to comply with the general principles of conduct and using sporting events for non-sporting manifestations. The verdict criticized the players for bringing football and UEFA into disrepute.
The Punishment
Both Rodri and Morata will serve a one-match ban in the next competitive UEFA game for their national team. Rodri will miss Spain’s fixture against Serbia on September 5 but will not be affected in Manchester City’s Champions League matches.
Impact on Manchester City
Rodri has not yet returned to the City Football Academy following his involvement with Spain. Manchester City has yet to make a move in the transfer market to provide additional cover for his position, which may be necessary given his pivotal role in the team.