Spanish duo Alvaro Morata and Rodri have been banned for one match by UEFA for a chant they made following their Euro 2024 triumph.
Spain beat England in the final last month and rubbed salt on the wounds of their opponents by singing “Gibraltar is Spanish” during their victory parade.
The Gibraltar Football Association made a complaint to the governing body, resulting in the AC Milan striker and Manchester City midfielder being charged.
A statement said the players were punished “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.”
Both will now miss Spain’s next match against Serbia on 5 September.
Gibraltar is physically closer to Spain and sits at the southern tip of the country, but remains under British rule, as it has done since the 18th century.
Breaking: UEFA bans Rodri & Morata for a match each for “Gibraltar is Spanish” chants
Banned 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 & UEFA … into disrepute.”
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) August 7, 2024
Spain have called for the small island to be returned but have had no success in their appeals.
The chants made by Rodri and Morata were in front of thousands of celebrating Spaniards, who were encouraged to join in.
But the duo will think twice before doing something like that again after being hit with their ban.
