UEFA sanctions Barça for fans waving nazi banner in Monaco

UEFA has given FC Barcelona a €10,000 fine and has banned fans from their next Champions League away match, after several fans waved a nazi banner in Monaco on September 19.

European football’s governing body considered the banner a racist violation of policy during the Catalan club’s European opener in the principality.

Around 500 supporters traveled to Monaco to support Barcelona at the game, and some waved a flag reading 'Flick Heil' in reference to the new head coach Hansi Flick, with a font similar to the one used in 'Sieg Heil' posters during Nazi Germany.

At the time, the club's vice president, Maria Elena Fort, already condemned the actions as "ridiculous.” 

“Disgusting and sad to see someone that says they love the club to act in such manner," she wrote on social media platform X.

"Everything has a limit. This cannot happen again," she added.

In a shared statement after UEFA's announcement, the club said they would comply with the sanctions for the game against Serbian club Crvena Zvezda on November 6.

The club will return the cost of tickets to those supporters who have already bought tickets.

UEFA's Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary body made the decision on Friday after the club with a suspended sanction for similar events on April 17, during last season’s game against Paris Saint Germain.

At that time, the regulator gave the club a fine of up to €32,000 and banned the team from bringing away supporters, a sanction that was suspended for one year pending no other similar events occurring.

FC Barcelona "reject any type of justification for violence," the statement reads, as indicated in articles 3 and 4 of the Statutes, which are focused on protecting and promoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights contained in the International Bill of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations.

Due to the "given behavior" at home matches, including the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and the Estadi Johan Cruyff, but also at away grounds, the team will "strengthen current measures and adopt suitable further initiatives" to prevent future occurrences.