Uefa has opened “disciplinary proceedings” against Spain captain Alvaro Morata and team-mate Rodri after they chanted “Gibraltar is Spanish” during their Euro 2024 victory celebrations.
The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to Uefa and European football’s governing body appointed a disciplinary inspector to “evaluate a potential violation of the Uefa disciplinary regulations”.
Morata and Rodri have now been charged with “general principles of conduct, violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature, and bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute”.
Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) will make a decision on the issue “in due course”.
Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain’s southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th Century, and Spain has long called for its return.
The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final success against England.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.
The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain’s behaviour, saying it had “noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Men’s national team winning Euro 2024”.
“Football has no place for behaviour of this nature,” it added.
Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.
Source: Adomonline