Khaberni - The match between Real Madrid and Manchester City requires special preparations, not only on the field but also in the stands.
The two teams will meet on Wednesday evening in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
According to the Spanish newspaper "Marca", during the Real Madrid vs. Benfica match on February 25th in the Champions League, footage was broadcast showing a regular attendee in the Real Madrid stands giving a Nazi salute, prompting the club to send a clear message to their fan section not to chant against Pep Guardiola, the coach of Manchester City, and not to carry flags, not even the Spanish flag, allowing only Real Madrid flags.
The sight was extremely painful due to what it conveyed; moments before, a banner was raised that read "No to racism, and a need for respect".
The club acted immediately, confirming: they located him, removed him from the stadium, and began proceedings to cancel his membership.
This was not enough to avoid penalty; the UEFA imposed a fine of 15,000 euros, suspended, along with a probation period of one year, before partially closing 500 seats in the lower South stand.
This incident led to a meeting between José Luis Sanchez, the social activities manager at Real Madrid, and representatives of the main fan groups in that section of the stadium, before the anticipated Champions League match against Manchester City. The club's message was crystal clear and arose from the anger and shame of what had happened against Benfica, emphasizing that chants against Guardiola were absolutely prohibited during the match. This served as a stern warning, leaving no room for negotiation, to prevent the recurrence of the situation and to enforce the currently suspended penalty. Moreover, the situation is complicated by the fact that the Catalan coach is not welcome at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
