GENEVA (AP) 鈥� Real Madrid lost its appeal against UEFA at sports鈥� highest court after being fined for fans singing a homophobic chant at Pep Guardiola during against Manchester City.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport鈥檚 judges decided the chant 鈥渨as of a severe discriminatory nature 鈥� to be considered as far more serious and damaging than acceptable satire and banter.鈥�
The court’s has now been published to explain the appeal dismissal by three judges dated April 14. Madrid had challenged a fine of 30,000 euros ($35,000) and a two-year probation order to close a small section of its stadium at one Champions League game.
When Madrid hosted Man City in February last year, some of its fans chanted that Guardiola was thin, took drugs and would be seen in the Spanish capital’s most gay-friendly neighborhood. An expert witness at court linked this to suggesting the former Barcelona coach was 鈥渋nfected with HIV/AIDS,鈥� the verdict stated.
Madrid鈥檚 lawyers suggested 鈥渆xpressions that are humorous, exaggerated or aimed at powerful institutions or public figures鈥� should be analyzed in context.
Soccer’s troubled history
UEFA lawyers argued to CAS homophobia has 鈥渃ast a long and deeply troubling shadow鈥� over soccer.
鈥淔or decades, the sport has been marred by a culture of machismo, exclusion, prejudice, and hostility towards individuals based on their sexual orientation,鈥� the European soccer body’s lawyers said.
鈥淭his persistent intolerance has impacted the personal and professional lives of countless players, coaches and fans and also led to tragic outcomes in the past,鈥� UEFA said in the judges鈥� 38-page summary.
Real Madrid vs. UEFA legal fixtures
The appeal hearing was held in Lausanne, Switzerland last September while Madrid and UEFA were still in a yearslong legal dispute over the . One month later, Madrid said it would from UEFA.
UEFA lawyers argued in Lausanne, the judges wrote, that Madrid 鈥渟hould be the first fighting against those chants, instead of hiring high profile lawyers to file an appeal with the CAS.鈥�
UEFA noted the fine was just 0.03% of Madrid鈥檚 Champions League prize money of more than 100 million euros ($117 million) for that season.
The chant during the second half of Madrid鈥檚 3-1 win in the knockout playoffs, second leg last season was filmed in a clip later posted on social media.
The video was sent to UEFA as evidence by the Fare Network, which also works with FIFA at the World Cup to chants, symbols and slogans at games in international competitions.
Real Madrid’s defense
Madrid lawyers said the report by Fare experts 鈥渟uffers from very serious formal and substantive defects,鈥� the verdict said.
When UEFA first judged the case in February 2025, Madrid submitted the chant could have been sung by Man City supporters.
Madrid and UEFA three months ago while CAS judges were processing their verdict in the homophobic abuse case.
Before in the Champions League in March, club officials reportedly met with fan groups to ensure Guardiola was not targeted for abuse.
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