MANCHESTER CITY ace Rodri has been slapped with a suspension for his Gibraltar chant.
The midfielder sang “Gibraltar es Espanol” – which translates to “Gibraltar is Spain” – in front of thousands of fans last month as La Roja celebrated their Euro 2024 final win.
Rodri and AC Milan hitman Alvaro Morata were charged under Article 11 of Uefa’s disciplinary code for their singing of the song.
And European footie’s governing body has punished the pair for their actions.
Rodri, 28, and Morata, 31, have been slapped with one-match suspensions.
It’s been judged that “they violated the basic rules of decent conduct, used a sporting event for a manifestation of a non-sporting nature, and brought the sport into disrepute.”
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Thankfully for Manchester City fans, the ban won’t prohibit Rodri from playing in the Premier League opener against Chelsea.
The ban is an international one, meaning he’ll miss Spain’s first outing since beating England in last month’s final.
Rodri and Morata will both be ineligible for Spain’s Nations League clash with Serbia next month.
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, although it is the subject of a territorial claim from the Spanish.
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The Gibraltar Football Association were left irate by singing of the chant, which they claimed was “deeply offensive”.
An excerpt of their statement read: “This is a totally unnecessary mixing of sporting success with discriminatory political statements that are hugely offensive to Gibraltarians.
Gibraltar’s chief minister also issued a scathing statement.
Fabian Picardo wrote on X: “The Rock is OURS.
“Mixing a sporting victory and the chant that glorifies the dictatorial politics of a mass murderer like [General] Franco and his fascist regime’s attempt to usurp a neighbouring territory, that is also a UEFA nation, is worse than disgusting.
“This cannot stand unchallenged.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
