Alvaro Morata & Rodri handed one-match ban by UEFA

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :August 8, 2024 at 12:01 AM

Modified at :August 8, 2024 at 12:01 AM

Spain will next face Serbia in the UEFA Nations League.

Álvaro Morata and Rodri, both Spain internationals, have been penalised by UEFA with a one-match suspension. This is for chanting during the team’s celebration of winning the European Championship title regarding Gibraltar.

Following Morata, who led Spain to victory in the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, and Rodri leading thousands of supporters in singing “Gibraltar is Spanish” at a celebration in Madrid on July 14, the Gibraltar Football Association lodged a protest to UEFA.

On September 5, Spain’s UEFA Nations League group opener against Serbia will be missed by both players. Situated in the southernmost point of Spain, Gibraltar has been an overseas colony of the British for nearly 300 years.

UEFA’s disciplinary body banned both players 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.”

Although the embargo is now in place, domestic fixtures will not be impacted. Morata is scheduled to make his AC Milan debut against Torino later this month. Rodri is expected to feature for Manchester City this weekend against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield.

According to UEFA, the sanctions were imposed for not abiding by the general norms of conduct, breaking the fundamental laws of decent behaviour, bringing the sport of football into disrepute and utilising sporting events for non-sporting demonstrations.

The players will be ineligible for the next UEFA international match as a result of the ban. Both players were important for the Spanish side in helping them win the Euro 2024. Both Rodri and Mortata featured in all games of La Roja during the competition.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.