Soccer

Real Madrid sanctioned over racist abuse

Chants during Bayern tie obliges European champions to close part of ground for one match

Real Madrid players stand on top of a platform at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium during the Real Madrid celebration the day after winning the Champions League final. Photograph: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images
Real Madrid players stand on top of a platform at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium during the Real Madrid celebration the day after winning the Champions League final. Photograph: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images
Sat May 31 2014 - 01:00

Real Madrid have been ordered to close part of their Bernabéu stadium for one match after the European champions were charged over racist behaviour by fans during their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich in April.

A statement from Uefa noted “racist behaviour by Real Madrid supporters during the match . . . [and] the control and disciplinary body has ordered the partial closure of the Santiago Bernabéu for one match . . . Real Madrid are obliged to display a banner with the wording ‘No to Racism’ in those sectors”.

Real beat Bayern 1-0 in the first leg on their way to a 10th European Cup crown.

Dani Alves targeted Spanish football has been plagued by racist incidents this season, the most high profile involving Barcelona’s Dani Alves, who took a bite from a banana thrown at him by a Villarreal fan during a La Liga match in April. Villarreal were fined

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€12,000 by the Spanish Soccer Federation.

Levante’s Senegalese midfielder Papakouli Diop complained of abuse from Atlético Madrid supporters this month and Real Betis fans allegedly abused one of their own players in November.