UEFA has punished Real Madrid with a fine and a reduction in the number of fans in the stands behind the goal after they witnessed racist greetings in the stadium.
According to journalist Henry Winter, UEFA has punished Real Madrid after a fan was caught making a Nazi salute inside the Santiago Bernabeu stadium during the Champions League play-off match against Benfica.
The European governing body has imposed a fine of 15,000 euros and a conditional partial closure of 500 seats in the stadium’s lower south stand for a year.
The incident occurred before the start of the match against the Portuguese team and Real Madrid quickly issued a statement, saying they had caught the culprit and expelled him from the stadium.
“Real Madrid condemns this type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sport and society,” Real Madrid said in a statement.
Earlier in the first leg in Lisbon, Vinicius Junior was racially abused by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni.