“Unworthy, shameful”
UEFA punishes Flicks Barcelona for Nazi banner
September 27, 2024, 2:09 p.m
FC Barcelona fans show a banner with a slogan based on a Nazi salute during the game against AS Monaco. The club reacts with shock and anger – and is now being punished by the European Football Union.
FC Barcelona is not allowed to sell tickets to its supporters for the next away game in the Champions League because of a fan banner with reference to National Socialism. The club also has to pay a fine of 10,000 euros, as the European Football Union (UEFA) announced. The ticket ban comes into force for the game at Red Star Belgrade on November 6th.
The banner was hung in the away fans’ block on Thursday last week during the 1-2 defeat at AS Monaco. It said: “Flick heil” – the former national and FC Bayern coach Hansi Flick has been coach of FC Barcelona since this season. The slogan “Sieg heil” was a common greeting for the National Socialists, so the banner caused a stir and criticism. Elena Fort, Vice President of Barcelonashowed up on X shocked from the banner. “Unworthy, shameful. Disgust and sadness “About someone who claims to love the club behaving like this,” she wrote. “There are limits. This must never happen again. Never again!”
The probation period was still running after another violation
In its statement, UEFA referred to another violation that was punished on April 17th. In the quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, the Hitler salute was shown in the fan block, and as a consequence of this and other misconduct during the game, a ban on the sale of fan tickets for the next away game has already been imposed. However, the sentence was suspended for one year, but this has now been violated. The probation period now begins again, and if there is another incident within the next year, there will be a ban on the sale of tickets for an away game.
FC Barcelona recently emphasized that it rejects any kind of glorification of violence and, as set out in its statutes, is committed to protecting and promoting the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to the club, the personal details of the fans involved were not recorded. In Spain it is not a criminal offense to publicly display Nazi symbols or references to such symbols.
