The two Spanish European champions Rodri and Alvaro Morata have each been banned for one match by UEFA. Both players had made verbal gaffes during Spain’s victory celebrations
As the UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee announced on Wednesday, Rodri and Morata were found guilty of, among other things, “a breach of the general principles of conduct” and that their conduct “damaged the sport of soccer and UEFA in particular”. Both had initially been threatened with a two-match ban, but now the duo will only have to sit out the first competitive match of the 2024/25 international season organized by UEFA.
Spain were crowned the new European champions on July 14 in the final in Berlin against England (2:1). One day later, the welcome and victory celebrations took place in front of hundreds of thousands of fans in the capital Madrid. This is where Morata and Rodri’s verbal derailments occurred
Morata mocked the German international Jamal Musiala (“Where is Musiala”), among others, and also attacked England’s defeated opponents in the final. Like Rodri, Morata chanted “Gibraltar is Spanish”. Gibraltar has been a bone of contention between Spain and Great Britain for centuries. The territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, which is only about the size of the East Frisian island of Baltrum, was seized by the United Kingdom in 1704. Spain considers Gibraltar to be illegally occupied territory and a British colony.
However, Gibraltar has been a full and independent member of UEFA since 2013. Following the chants, the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) lodged a complaint with UEFA. UEFA launched an investigation into this on July 19, at the end of which Rodri and Morata were suspended.
As a result, Spain will be without Rodri and Morata for the first match of the 2024/25 Nations League. The European champions will face Serbia in their Group A4 opener on September 5 at 20:45.
