(foto: Getty Images)
Spanish internationals Alvaro Morata and Rodri have been suspended for one match due to inappropriate behavior during the celebration of their European Championship victory in Madrid last month, UEFA announced on Wednesday.
The players chanted "Gibraltar is Spanish" on July 15, the day after their victory over England in the Euro final, during a public celebration in the Spanish capital. Gibraltar is a British territory located on the southern tip of Spain.
UEFA stated that the decision to impose the ban was due to the players' disregard for general principles of conduct, violation of basic rules of decency, misuse of sporting events for non-sporting manifestations, and bringing football into disrepute. The suspension will cover the next UEFA international match for which the players would otherwise be eligible.
Rodri, who was named the best player of the European Championship, chanted "Gibraltar is Spanish" on the evening of July 15 in Madrid, touching on a long-standing dispute. Gibraltar is a British peninsula with 33,000 residents on the southern coast of Spain, over which London and Madrid have disputed for decades.
Spain has never ceased to claim Gibraltar, but its residents voted in a 1967 referendum to remain under British rule. Two years later, Gibraltar was granted a new constitution and greater autonomy. Spain proposed joint sovereignty over Gibraltar to the United Kingdom in 1991 and 1997, but the proposal was rejected.
"Gibraltar is Spanish, Gibraltar is Spanish," chanted 28-year-old Rodri, as seen in a video published by Marca and shared by other Spanish media such as AS. Spanish public television RTVE reported on its website that several players chanted about Spanish Gibraltar "several times" during the celebration.
English media described the moment as "tasteless." At one point during the celebration, Morata reminded Rodri that he plays in England, to which Rodri responded, "I don't care."
Manchester City fans left mostly negative comments on social media. "He will be deported," "What a way to end a winning streak," "If he cares so much, why is he in England?" and "This is not the best PR for him," were some of the comments on X (formerly Twitter), while others speculated that he might leave the club after the incident.
Rodri, the 28-year-old midfielder, has been with City since 2019 and is under contract until 2027. He has played over 250 matches for the club, winning the Champions League and four Premier League titles.