Real Madrid has lost its appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a Uefa fine imposed after fans directed homophobic chants at Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during a Champions League match in February 2024. The sports' highest court upheld the penalty, ruling the chant was 'of a severe discriminatory nature … to be considered as far more serious and damaging than acceptable satire and banter.'
The detailed verdict, published to explain the judges' decision from 14 April, dismissed Madrid's challenge against a €30,000 (£25,000) fine and a two-year probation order requiring the closure of a small section of its stadium for one Champions League fixture. The incident occurred when Madrid hosted Manchester City, with some supporters heard chanting that Guardiola was thin, took drugs, and would be seen in the Spanish capital's most gay-friendly neighbourhood. An expert witness at the court linked this to suggesting the former Barcelona coach was 'infected with HIV/AIDS,' according to the verdict.
Madrid's lawyers had argued that 'expressions that are humorous, exaggerated or aimed at powerful institutions or public figures' should be analysed within their specific context. They also suggested the chant could have been sung by Manchester City supporters when Uefa first judged the case in February 2025, and claimed the report by Fare experts suffered from 'very serious formal and substantive defects.' However, Uefa lawyers countered that homophobia has 'cast a long and deeply troubling shadow' over football, stating: 'For decades, the sport has been marred by a culture of machismo, exclusion, prejudice, and hostility towards individuals based on their sexual orientation.'
The appeal hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland, took place last September, amid a separate, years-long legal dispute between Madrid and Uefa over the failed Super League launch. Uefa lawyers argued that Madrid 'should be the first fighting against those chants, instead of hiring high profile lawyers to file an appeal with the CAS.' They also noted the fine represented a mere 0.03% of Madrid's Champions League prize money, which exceeded €100 million (£85 million) that season. The chant, which occurred during the second half of Madrid's 3-1 victory in the knockout play-offs, second leg, was filmed and later posted on social media.
Madrid and Uefa resolved their Super League dispute three months ago, while CAS judges were finalising their verdict in the homophobic abuse case. Prior to Madrid hosting Manchester City again in the Champions League in March, club officials reportedly met with fan groups to ensure Guardiola was not targeted for abuse.
