The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced today, Friday, that FC Barcelona has been penalized for their upcoming away match in the UEFA Champions League, which will be played without fans. In addition, the club has been fined $11,000.
These sanctions are in response to Barcelona fans displaying a banner with a racist message inspired by the Nazi salute during their match against AS Monaco, which ended in a 2-1 defeat for Barcelona on September 19th.
The banner in question carried the phrase “Heil Flick,” a reference to the team’s German coach Hansi Flick, sparking widespread outrage in the sports community.
In response, Barcelona issued an official statement condemning any justification for such behavior, affirming their commitment to adhering to the punishment and strengthening preventive measures to avoid future incidents.
Barcelona’s next match, which will be played behind closed doors, is set against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia on November 6th.
In its statement, the Catalan club emphasized its plan to implement additional actions to combat such behavior and identify those responsible, ensuring the preservation of sporting values.
source : fesnews media