Real Madrid Fined as CAS Upholds UEFA Ruling on Guardiola Chants

Real Madrid’s troubled season has extended beyond the pitch, as the club lost its appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport over homophobic chants directed at Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. The ruling piles further misery onto a campaign that already saw Madrid finish trophyless and surrender the La Liga title to rivals FC Barcelona.

CAS Backs UEFA’s Stance on Discriminatory Abuse

The chants in question occurred during Real Madrid’s 3-1 Champions League victory over Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu in February 2024. UEFA sanctioned the club with a €30,000 fine and a suspended partial stadium closure. CAS judges ruled the chants went well beyond “acceptable satire and banter,” describing them as severely discriminatory in nature. Expert testimony presented before the court linked the chants to suggestions that Guardiola was infected with HIV/AIDS.

Clubs Must Take Responsibility, Says UEFA

UEFA argued forcefully that football has long suffered under a culture of homophobia, exclusion, and hostility. The governing body stressed that clubs must actively prevent discriminatory behaviour inside their stadiums rather than challenge regulatory bodies in court. Madrid’s legal team had argued the chants deserved broader contextual interpretation, while also questioning evidence submitted by anti-discrimination monitors Fare Network — arguments the court ultimately rejected.

The ruling serves as a firm signal from sport’s governing bodies that discrimination in stadiums carries real consequences, regardless of a club’s stature or resources.