Real Madrid handed partial stadium ban and five-figure fine for homophobic chanting towards Manchester City | OneFootball

Homophobic chanting directed towards Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola from some Real Madrid fans last month has been punished by UEFA.

The incident took place during the second-leg of the two sides’ UEFA Champions League last-16 play-off tie in the Spanish capital, on a night where it was the hosts who progressed into the round of 16 in Europe’s premier club competition.

After playing out a dramatic 2-3 first-leg at the Etihad Stadium, in which late goals from Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham completed a comeback for Los Blancos, it was Kylian Mbappe who recorded a remarkable hat-trick the following week in a 3-1 home win.

But while the contest had seemingly come and gone without too much in the way of dramatics, it is events off the field on the evening that have grabbed the attention of Europe’s primary football governing body.

As confirmed by UEFA’s disciplinary board, La Liga giants Real Madrid have been fined €30,000 after some of their fans directed homophobic chants towards Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola at the Santiago Bernabeu last month.

European football’s governing body has also handed Los Blancos a suspended partial stadium closure which requires the club to shut off at least 500 adjacent seats during their next European match at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, it has been confirmed that the matter of a partial stadium closure has been suspended for two years.

Following victory over Manchester City in the play-off phase to qualify for the last-16, Real Madrid will now take on their bitter city rivals Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 as the knockout phase kicks into action.

That contest will also feature the former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez in action, with the Argentine in red hot form since he brought an end to his time at the Etihad Stadium during the last summer transfer window.

For Pep Guardiola and his side, their focus is solely placed on qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League, while hopes of silverware remain alive via the FA Cup as a quarter-final clash with Bournemouth awaits.