Rodri and Álvaro Morata have each been banned for one Spain match by Uefa for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during celebrations in Madrid for the victory against 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.”
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Spain’s next match is away against 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 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.
